Virgin Galactic has received a green light from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to transport customers into space.
The update to the Virgin Galactic operator's license, which the company has held since 2016, marks the first time the FAA has authorized a company to carry passengers in space.
Virgin Galactic said it is an additional validation of the company's methodical testing program, which met the verification and validation criteria required by the FAA.
Michael Colglazier, executive director of Virgin Galactic, said: “We are extremely pleased with the results of the most recent test flight which has achieved all our goals ”.
"The flight was impeccable, and the results demonstrate the safety and elegance of our flight system. Today's approval from the FAA takes us one step closer to launching commercial flights into space. This licensing is in conjunction with the success of our May 22 test flight, which gives us confidence as we prepare for our first full test flight, scheduled for this summer. ”