Virgin Galactic achieved a momentous feat as its rocket transported its inaugural group of tourists to the fringes of space on Thursday.

Among the passengers were an ex-British Olympian who secured his ticket 18 years ago and a mother-daughter duo hailing from the Caribbean.

Following a fleeting flight that granted passengers several minutes of weightlessness, the space plane elegantly glided back to Earth, executing a flawless runway landing at Spaceport America, situated in the expansive deserts of New Mexico.

As the craft’s rocket motor ignited post-release from the transporting plane, which had carried it aloft, elated cheers resounded from onlookers on the ground, the Associated Press reported.

Scaling heights of approximately 55 miles (88 kilometers), the rocket vessel etched a remarkable trajectory.

This achievement marks a pivotal step for Richard Branson’s enterprise, as it anticipates embarking on a regular schedule of monthly excursions for its clientele aboard the spaceplane.

Notably, Virgin Galactic enters the burgeoning space tourism sector, alongside industry peers such as Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

Written by staff