> Virgin isn’t trying to leave orbit It isn't even trying to reach orbit. As soon as the fuel is exhausted it cannot help but fall back to Earth because it has

> Virgin isn’t trying to leave orbit It isn't even trying to reach orbit. As soon as the fuel is exhausted it cannot help but fall back to Earth because it hasn't achieved orbital velocity. The passengers get a few minutes at high altitude, enough to experience weightlessness and see the stars. It's a suborbital lob, a much more polished version of the X-15 in the 1960s. [Edit - clarity]