HIGH TIMES AT VIRGIN GALACTIC…VERY HIGH TIMES. THE COMPANY SAYS TEST PILOTS REACHED 170,800 FEET, ENTERING THE MESOSPHERE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THURSDAY MORNING. THE “V-S-S UNITY” WAS RELEASED BY THE CARRIER CRAFT AT 46-THOUSAND FEET.
THE PILOTS LIT THE ROCKET MOTOR AND ASCENDED AT A RATE OF 2-POINT-4-7 TIMES THE SPEED OF SOUND. THE CRAFT LANDED SAFELY AT THE MOJAVE AIR AND SPACE PORT. VIRGIN GALACTIC PLANS TO USE THE AIRCRAFT TO TAKE PASSENGERS INTO SUB-ORBITAL SPACE, LEAVING FROM THE SPACEPORT IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO.