A former British Olympian and a mother and daughter were on board the VSS Unity when it took off strapped the VSS Eve from Spaceport America in New Mexico.
Jon Goodwin, who competed in the 1972 Munich Summer Games, bought his ticket 18 years ago for $200,000. A ticket now costs $450,000, The Associated Press reported.
His traveling companions were health and wellness coach Keisha Schahaff and her daughter Anastatia Mayers from Antigua, CNN reported. They won a sweepstakes to secure their seats.
Along with the space tourists, two pilots and Virgin Galactic’s astronaut trainer were on board the Unity.
This was the seventh trip to space for Virgin Galactic but the first for paying passengers on board the VSS Unity, according to the AP.
The Unity was carried down the runway by the VMS Eve which took off into the sky. When it hit 44,300 feet, it released the Unity, allowing the spacecraft to fire its rocket engine, flying straight up about 50 miles to the U.S.-designated end of the Earth’s atmosphere, CNN reported. At the flight’s peak, the people on board were weightless for a few minutes as the aircraft free-fell before gliding back to the spaceport.
The passengers were also able to see the curve of the Earth firsthand, Space.com reported.
Virgin Galactic owner, Richard Branson, watched the mission from Antigua during a party, the AP reported.
Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic launches its first mission with paid space tourists. (Virgin Galactic )
Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic launches its first mission with paid space tourists. (Virgin Galactic )
Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic launches its first mission with paid space tourists. (Virgin Galactic )
Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic launches its first mission with paid space tourists. (Virgin Galactic )
Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic launches its first mission with paid space tourists. (Virgin Galactic )
Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic launches its first mission with paid space tourists. (Virgin Galactic )
Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic launches its first mission with paid space tourists. (Virgin Galactic )
Virgin Galactic Tourist Flight Virgin Galactic's mothership Eve, carrying the rocket-powered plane Unity 22, takes off from Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton) (Andres Leighton/AP)
APTOPIX Virgin Galactic Tourist Flight Guests watch a live broadcast from inside Virgin Galactic's rocket-powered plane Unity 22, showing space tourists Anastatia Mayers, 18, and her mother Keisha Schahaff, rear, at Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton) (Andres Leighton/AP)
Virgin Galactic Tourist Flight Virgin Galactic's rocket-powered plane Unity 22, left, flies past its mothership Eve on its way to the edge of space after taking off from Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton) (Andres Leighton/AP)
Virgin Galactic Tourist Flight A guest waves a flag of Antigua and Barbuda while watching the return of Virgin Galactic's rocket-powered plane Unity at Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride, including a British former Olympian and a mother-daughter duo from the Caribbean island. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton) (Andres Leighton/AP)
Virgin Galactic Tourist Flight Space tourist Jon Goodwin, an 80-year-old British adventurer and former Olympian, runs to hug his wife Pauline after his flight to the edge of space aboard Virgin Galactic's rocket-powered plane Unity at Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton) (Andres Leighton/AP)
Virgin Galactic Tourist Flight Virgin Galactic's mothership Eve, carrying the rocket-powered plane Unity 22, takes off from Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton) (Andres Leighton/AP)
Virgin Galactic Tourist Flight Virgin Galactic's mothership Eve, carrying the rocket-powered plane Unity 22, flies after taking off from Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton) (Andres Leighton/AP)
Virgin Galactic Tourist Flight An Antigua and Barbuda and a British flags decorate the terminal area of Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists, a British former Olympian and a mother-daughter from Antigua, on a rocket ship ride after years of delays, including one passenger who bought his ticket 18 years ago and a mother-daughter duo from the Caribbean. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton) (Andres Leighton/AP)
Virgin Galactic Tourist Flight FILE - In this May 29, 2018 photo provided by Virgin Galactic, the VSS Unity craft flies during a supersonic flight test. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a rocket ship ride after years of delays, including one passenger who bought his ticket 18 years ago and a mother-daughter duo from the Caribbean. (Virgin Galactic via AP, File) (Virgin Galactic/AP)
Virgin Galactic Tourist Flight FILE - Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity departs Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, Calif., for the final time as Virgin Galactic shifts its SpaceFlight operations to New Mexico, Feb. 13, 2020. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a rocket ship ride after years of delays, including one passenger who bought his ticket 18 years ago and a mother-daughter duo from the Caribbean. (Matt Hartman via AP, File) (Matt Hartman/AP)