Virgin Galactic's Space Tourism Soars: Second Flight of 2023

Virgin Galactic successfully flew four tourists to the edge of space aboard its spaceplane, for the second time this year. Passengers from Turkey, the U.S., and Italy journeyed to an altitude of about 55 miles. This flight, VSS Unity's last commercial mission, took off from Spaceport America, New Mexico, with new spaceships expected in 2026.

Virgin Galactic flew four tourists to the edge of space and back aboard its spaceplane, marking the second flight this year, the Richard Branson-founded company said on Saturday.

The Galactic 07 mission carried Turkish, U.S. and Italian passengers to an altitude of about 55 miles (88.51 km) on a flight lasting slightly more than an hour.

The space tourism company said that mission took off from and returned to Spaceport America in New Mexico on Saturday. It marked Virgin's VSS Unity spaceplane's final commercial flight as the company is now producing its fourth-generation spaceships expected to enter commercial service in 2026, the company said in a statement.