Sir Richard Branson has hailed Virgin Galactic's latest flight as "an extraordinary moment in the history of space exploration".
The billionaire businessman watched from Antigua and Barbuda as Virgin Galactic took its first tourists to the edge of space, and Branson subsequently hailed the flight as a spectacular success for his company.
Branson, 73 - who is the founder of the Virgin Group - said in a blog post: "Today marks an extraordinary moment in the history of space exploration and a significant milestone not just for Antigua and Barbuda and the UK, but for the world. I always believed that one day space travel could be accessible for all. Today, that dream is becoming a reality.
"Space now belongs to the curious of any age, race, nationality, gender and physical ability."
Branson also hopes that the flight will prove to be an inspiration.
He said: "A huge thanks to Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne and his team for organising a fantastic watch party for everyone to celebrate such a special moment together. I got chance to meet some of the hundreds of students in the audience as part of a STEM program in Antigua and Barbuda. I hope being here today inspires them to keep reaching for the stars knowing that there is no limit to what they can achieve."
