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Virgin Galactic returns to Spaceport America for exercises

FILE - In this Oct. 17, 2011, file photo, the new Spaceport America futuristic hangar backdrops the spacecraft White Knight Two in Upham, N.M. A team of pilots, ground crew and mission control specialists are at the spaceport for a week of air and ground testing in preparation for future commercial space flights at the remote patch of desert in Sierra County. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)
FILE - In this Oct. 17, 2011, file photo, the new Spaceport America futuristic hangar backdrops the spacecraft White Knight Two in Upham, N.M. A team of pilots, ground crew and mission control specialists are at the spaceport for a week of air and ground testing in preparation for future commercial space flights at the remote patch of desert in Sierra County. (AP Photo/Matt York, File) FILE - In this Oct. 17, 2011, file photo, the new Spaceport America futuristic hangar backdrops the spacecraft White Knight Two in Upham, N.M. A team of pilots, ground crew and mission control specialists are at the spaceport for a week of air and ground testing in preparation for future commercial space flights at the remote patch of desert in Sierra County. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)

By Associated Press 3 min read

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – It was nothing but clear, blue skies as the sleek, jet-powered cargo plane approached the runway at Spaceport America in southern New Mexico, only to briefly touch down and then thrust off again.

Over and over again, Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnightTwo was put through the paces as the pilots, ground crew and mission control specialists checked off some of the numerous ground and air exercises scheduled this week as the team prepares for future commercial space flights.

The aircraft will one day help carry paying tourists in the company’s rocket ship, called SpaceShipTwo, to the edge of space.

While Virgin Galactic chief executive George Whitesides wasn’t willing to put a firm date on when flights might begin, he said the company is on track with its internal schedule and is making progress with testing of its new spaceship in California.

“I think getting the vehicle in test flight is a key milestone and this time around we’re doing all that internally with our own staff so we hope we’ll be able to make rapid progress,” he said while standing on the tarmac as WhiteKnightTwo landed after an hour of touch-and-go’s.