California-based space travel and space launch services provider Virgin Galactic’s carrier plane VMS Eve (Previously known as WhiteKnight Two) mothership took to the skies for the first time in more than 15 months. The results of the flight were not disclosed

The test flight, which took off from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California, lasted over two and a half hours. The plane reached altitudes of up to 12,650 meters during the flight, according to flight tracking data.

The company plans to conduct additional testing of the mothership and spaceship in combination, which will include further ground testing as well as glide and powered flight testing to complete the necessary validations of the vehicle's modifications. Once complete, Virgin Galactic will presumably be ready to begin crewed spaceflights.

VMS Eve is an essential element of Virgin Galactic's space tourism technology. It transports the company's VSS Unity spaceliner, which carries six passengers, to an altitude of ~50,000 feet during operational flights. After reaching this altitude, Unity separates from Eve and activates its rocket motor, taking it to suborbital space. In the most recent flight in July 2021, Unity flew with four passengers including Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, to and from the edge of space. After that flight, Virgin Galactic made an announcement of upgrading Eve and Unity, leading to both vehicles being taken out of operation temporarily.

Analyst QuickTake: In November 2022 , the company announced its plans to conduct a series of test flights in Q1 2023, with the launch of commercial services slated for Q2 2023. A trip that lasts around 90 minutes originally sold for USD 200,000 and was raised to USD 250,000 in 2013. In August 2021, the company opened ticket sales at the USD 450,000 price, requiring a USD 150,000 deposit, out of which USD 25,000 was not refundable.