It represents a significant accomplishment for the 19-year-old Virgin Galactic, which has had to overcome numerous mishaps and technical difficulties.

After a break of nearly two years, Virgin Galactic’s rocket plane, Unity, was back in operation last month.

The vehicle, which had four passengers and two pilots on board, glided back down after climbing far over the New Mexico desert in the United States.

It was advertised as the vehicle’s last test flight prior to the start of the company’s eagerly anticipated first commercial service.

For those who desire to travel more than 80 kilometers (260,000 feet) above Earth, Virgin Galactic has sold more than 800 seats.

The flights are intended to provide views of Earth from space at the peak of their ascent and provide passengers a brief opportunity to experience weightlessness. Each one of them costs $450,000 (£352,170).

While Virgin Galactic focuses on space travel, Sir Richard also wanted to use his rocket business, Virgin Orbit, to carry out satellite launches.

Virgin Orbit, however, was forced to close in May following the failure of a mission that had been hailed as a potential turning point in UK space exploration.

The company, which was created to launch satellites, had to halt operations earlier this year in an effort to improve its financial situation.