John Antczak

Associated Press

In this May 29, 2018 photo provided by Virgin Galactic, the VSS Unity craft flies during a supersonic flight test. Virgin Galactic has received nearly 8,000 online reservations of interest since its first successful test flight into space 14 months ago, the company said Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020, as it nears commercial operation and prepares to reopen ticket sales.

Virgin Galactic Reports Big Interest in Space Flights

The company has received nearly 8,000 online reservations.

This photo provided by Virgin Galactic shows the Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity flying over Spaceport America in Truth or Consequences, NM on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020.

Virgin Spaceship Arrives at New Home

The move marks a significant milestone toward commercial flights, which the company anticipates this year.

In this image from video, Delta Air Lines Flight 89 to Shanghai, China dumps fuel over Los Angeles before returning to Los Angeles International Airport for an emergency landing Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020. Fire officials say fuel apparently dumped by the aircraft returning to LAX fell onto an elementary school playground. A fire department tweet says firefighters are assessing 'multiple patients' at the school in the suburban city of Cudahy, Calif. The flight tracking website FlightAware shows that Delta Air Lines Flight 89 to Shanghai, China, departed LAX, circled back over Southern California and returned to the airport.

Experts Puzzled After Airliner Dumps Fuel on Kids

Retired pilot calls the move 'pretty outrageous.'

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Virgin Galactic's Spaceship Reaches Milestone

Two spaceships are now structurally complete.

In this Dec. 13, 2018 file photo, Virgin Galactic aircraftVSS Unity reaches space for the first time during its fourth powered flight from Mojave Air and Space Port, Calif. Boeing plans to invest $20 million in Virgin Galactic as the space tourism company nears its goal of launching passengers on suborbital flights. The companies announced the investment Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019, saying they will work together on broadening commercial access to space and transforming global travel technologies. Virgin Galactic has conducted successful test flights of its winged rocket ship at Mojave, California, and is preparing to begin operations at Spaceport America in New Mexico.

Boeing Invests in Virgin Galactic

The companies say they will work together on broadening commercial access to space and transforming global travel technologies.

Stratolaunch, a giant six-engine aircraft with the world’s longest wingspan , makes its historic first flight from the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, Calif., Saturday, April 13, 2019. Founded by the late billionaire Paul G. Allen, Stratolaunch is vying to be a contender in the market for air-launching small satellites.

Stratolaunch Jet Completes Test

The aircraft features the world's longest wingspan.

Richard Branson center celebrates with pilots Rick “CJ” Sturckow, left, and Mark “Forger” Stucky, right, after Virgin Galactic’s tourism spaceship climbed more than 50 miles high above California’s Mojave Desert on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018. The rocket ship reached an altitude of 51 miles (82 kilometers) before beginning its gliding descent, said mission official Enrico Palermo. The craft landed on a runway minutes later.

Virgin Galactic Makes it to Space

The supersonic flight takes Virgin Galactic closer to turning the long-delayed dream of commercial space tourism into reality.

This May 29, 2018 photo provided by Virgin Galactic shows the VSS Unity craft during a supersonic flight test. The spaceship isn’t launched from the ground but is carried beneath a special aircraft to an altitude around 50,000 feet (15,240 meters). There, it’s released before igniting its rocket engine and climbing.

Virgin Galactic Prepares for Space Flight

Virgin Galactic officials emphasized that it would be a test flight and there could be an array of reasons why it could end short of its goal or be aborted altogether.

Two streaks in this long exposure photo show a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifting off, left, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, as seen from Pismo Beach, Calif. Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, and then its first stage returning, right, to Earth at a nearby landing pad. The primary purpose of the mission was to place the SAOCOM 1A satellite into orbit, but SpaceX also wanted to expand its recovery of first stages to its launch site at the Air Force base, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles.

SpaceX Satellite Launch Lights Up Sky

People as far away as San Francisco, Sacramento, Phoenix and Reno, Nevada, posted photos of the Falcon 9 rocket's launch.

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

SpaceX to Build New Rocket in LA

The facility would have potential to employ 700 people.

This Nov. 11, 2017 photo provided by Sierra Nevada Corporation shows the Dream Chaser spacecraft landing after a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The Sierra Nevada Corp. says its Dream Chaser had a successful free-flight drop test in the Mojave Desert on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017.

Dream Chaser Makes Glide Test Flight

We could be making unmanned cargo flights to the ISS as soon as 2020.

In this Sunday, June 25, 2017, photo released by SpaceX, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is seen before lift off Sunday, carrying 10 more satellites for Iridium Communications, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. SpaceX has succeeded in landing a Falcon 9 first-stage booster on a vessel in the Pacific after a launch from California. The rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 1:25 p.m. Sunday. It was carrying 10 satellites for Iridium Communications. The first-stage booster landed about 7 minutes later. The Falcon's second stage is continuing to carry the satellites toward orbit.

SpaceX Launches 10 Satellites

The first stage was recovered after landing on a drone ship in the Atlantic.