Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc. received regulatory approval to fly customers into space, moving the budding industry founded by billionaires one step closer to reality. The Federal Aviation Administration upgraded the company’s existing license to cover customer flights, Virgin Galactic said Friday in a statement, saying the approval was the first of its kind. Virgin Galactic, founded by entrepreneur Richard Branson, has been working toward its goal since 2004. Advertisement“A new chapter in the story of human spaceflight is beginning,” the FAA said in a statement on Virgin Galactic. Data from the May test flight, Virgin Galactic’s first rocket burn in two years, confirmed that upgraded horizontal stabilizers and flight controls on the VSS Unity performed in line with predictions, Virgin Galactic said.

Source: Los Angeles Times June 25, 2021 14:26 UTC