VIRGIN GALACTIC GETS FAA'S OK TO LAUNCH CUSTOMERS TO SPACE

Virgin Galactic finally has the federal government’s approval to start launching customers into space from New Mexico.

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Richard Branson’s rocketship company announced the Federal Aviation Administration’s updated license.

It’s the final hurdle in Virgin Galactic’s years-long effort to send paying passengers on short space hops.

The company is working toward three more space test flights this summer and early fall, before opening the rocketship’s doors to paying customers. The original plans called for company engineers to launch next to evaluate equipment, followed by a flight with Branson and then a science mission by Italian Air Force officers.