"Virgin Galactic Finally Delivers on Promise with Inaugural Tourism Mission"
Virgin Galactic successfully launched its first space tourists, marking a major milestone for the space tourism company founded by Richard Branson. The rocket-powered space plane, VSS Unity, carried three customers, including the first space travelers from Antigua and the second person with Parkinson's disease to travel to space. The vehicle reached an altitude of more than 50 miles above Earth's surface, experiencing weightlessness before gliding back to the spaceport for a runway landing. This mission follows Virgin Galactic's first commercial flight in June and signifies the company's transition to including tourists on its flights.