Galactica is a Bolliger & Mabillard flying roller coaster at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, England, tucked into the park’s Forbidden Valley area. It first opened on 16 March 2002 under the name Air, holding the distinction of being B&M’s very first flying coaster model, a design that puts riders in a prone, chest-down position to simulate the sensation of flight.
After the 2015 season, the ride closed for a refurbishment and reopened on 24 March 2016 rebranded as Galactica, complete with a space-themed virtual reality overlay delivered through Samsung Gear VR headsets fitted to every seat. The VR element was scaled back over the following years and ultimately removed by 2019 due to guest feedback, though the ride itself continues to operate on its original B&M flying layout.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Alton Towers, Staffordshire, England
- Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
- Opened: 16 March 2002 (as Air); renamed Galactica on 24 March 2016
- Height: About 66 ft (20 m)
- Top speed: About 47 mph (75 km/h)
- Length: About 2,760 ft (840 m)
- Inversions: 2
The Ride Experience
Riders board Galactica’s trains seated, secured by an over-the-shoulder restraint, before the seats rotate forward and tilt them into a prone, face-down flying stance as the train leaves the station. The layout then sends flyers skimming close to the terrain of Forbidden Valley, ducking under a footbridge and banking past rockwork before working through two inversions at speed.
As the first flying coaster B&M ever built, the ride, which cost around £12 million to construct, set the template the manufacturer would refine on later flying coasters elsewhere in the world. Three trains, each with seven cars seating four across, keep the queue moving with a capacity of about 1,500 riders per hour.
From Air to Galactica
The ride operated for over a decade as Air before Alton Towers closed it after the 2015 season for a space-themed makeover. It returned in March 2016 as Galactica, adding a virtual reality layer via Gear VR headsets built into each seat so riders saw a sci-fi flight sequence synced to the track’s movements.
The VR component proved divisive with guests and was gradually pulled back, limited to only the rear rows by 2018 before being dropped entirely by 2019. Galactica has run without the headsets since, relying on its original B&M flying trains and Forbidden Valley scenery to deliver the experience.
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Galactica FAQs
Is Galactica the same ride as Air?
Yes. Galactica is the same B&M flying coaster that opened as Air in 2002; it was refurbished and renamed Galactica in 2016.
Do riders board Galactica lying down?
No. Riders board seated in the station, and the restraint locks them in before the seats tilt forward into the prone flying position as the train departs.
Does Galactica still have virtual reality headsets?
No. The Samsung Gear VR headsets introduced in 2016 were phased out and fully removed by 2019 due to guest feedback.
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Photo: Jeremy Thompson from United States of America / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.