Virgin Galactic Tests Suborbital Spaceship

Virgin Galactic, which aims to be the world's first commercial space carrier, successfully tested its suborbital spaceship, Enterprise.

Enterprise made its first solo test flight in California on Sunday, BBC News reported. The spaceship was carried to 45,000 feet by a plane, then dropped to glide back to earth.

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Virgin Galactic plans to charge $200,000 to take passengers on short journeys above the atmosphere. The company has already taken deposits from 370 customers.

"This was one of the most exciting days in the whole history of Virgin," said Richard Branson, billionaire founder of the Virgin empire.

The Enterprise will be able to carry two crewmembers and six passengers.

A carrier plane will carry the Enterprise to its launch altitude, then release the craft in mid-air. Enterprise will then ignite its single hybrid rocket engine to blast into space.