Virgin Galactic&nbsp;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 (June 8).

The Galactic 07 mission carried Turkish, US and Italian passengers to an altitude of about&nbsp;88.51 km&nbsp;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.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.asiaone.com/world/virgin-galactic-start-commercial-flight-late-june" target="_blank">Virgin Galactic to start commercial flight in late June</a>

Giorgio Manenti of Italy looks out a window as Virgin Galactic's Galactic 07 mission carries four Turkish, US and Italian passengers to the edge of space and back aboard its spaceplane on a flight lasting slightly more than an hour, originating from Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, US, June 8, 2024 in a still image from a video.

Aviation/Aerospace sector

Tourism

tourists

Space and cosmos

space exploration

Reuters

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 (June 8). The Galactic 07 mission carried Turkish, US and Italian passengers to an altitude of about 88.51 km on a flight lasting slightly more than an hour. The space tourism company...

Virgin Galactic spaceplane takes tourists on flight