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Virgin Galactic Returns To Space In Fourth Test Flight

Mojave-based Virgin Galactic, the spaceflight and space tourism company founded by Sir Richard Branson, has returned to space, after its fourth test flight on Thursday. According to Virgin Galactic, the SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity landed successfully after reaching 51.4 miles above the earth, reaching speeds of three times the speed of sound above Mojave. Virgin Galactic said the flight to space actually qualifies as the first human spaceflight to be launched from American soil since the final Space Shuttle mission in 2011. Virgin Galactic said a ceremony with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award "FAA Commercial Astronaut Wings" to the pilots of the VSS Unity, Mark "Forger" Stucky and Frederick "CJ" Sturckow. Virgin Galactic said the flight also represented its first, revenue-generating flight, due to four space science and technology experiments for NASA on the VSS Unity.