Virgin Galactic sent its VSS Unity space plane skyward for a second supersonic rocket-powered test flight today, bringing the company one step closer toward reaching the space frontier.

“It was great to see our beautiful spaceship back in the air and to share the moment with the talented team who are taking us, step by step, to space,” Virgin Group billionaire founder Richard Branson said in a post-flight recap. “Seeing Unity soar upwards at supersonic speeds is inspiring and absolutely breathtaking. We are getting ever closer to realizing our goals.”

Also among those in attendance at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California was George T. Whitesides, the CEO of Virgin Galactic and its associated aerospace manufacturer, The SpaceShip Company.

Today’s test followed up on April’s first powered flight for the SpaceShipTwo craft. It traced the standard procedure developed for Virgin Galactic’s flights: A carrier airplane known as VMS Eve brought VSS Unity up to high altitude, then dropped the plane and its two test pilots into the air for free flight. Unity was piloted by Dave Mackay and Mark “Forger” Stucky, while C.J. Sturckow and Nicola Pecile were at Eve’s controls.

This time around, VSS Unity’s hybrid rocket motor was fired up for a partial burn to test “a rearward center of gravity closer to the commercial configuration,” the company said in a tweet. The addition of passenger seats and related equipment shifted the weight distribution more toward the back of the plane, compared to the configuration for the first rocket-powered test.

Virgin Galactic said the rocket motor burned for its planned duration of 31 seconds, and sent Unity to an altitude of 114,500 feet (34.9 kilometers). Top speed was Mach 1.9 — that is, 1.9 times the speed of sound.

VSS Unity successfully executed a “feathered-wing” maneuver to slow its descent and made a smooth landing back at Mojave’s runway. After studying the flight data, Virgin Galactic is expected to expand the envelope of the test program further, eventually reaching a phase when the rocket plane crosses the boundary into outer space. That could be 50 miles or 100 kilometers (62 miles), depending on your definition.

About 700 customers have signed up to ride VSS Unity and yet-to-be-completed sibling spacecraft, at a ticket price of as much as $250,000. Virgin Galactic has shied away from giving a precise time for the start of commercial operations at Spaceport America in New Mexico, but if the test program goes according to plan, that time could come within the next year or so.

“The pathway that Unity is forging is one that many thousands of us will take over time, and will help share a perspective that is crucial to solving some of humanity’s toughest challenges on planet Earth,” Branson said.

Today’s test flight provided a boost for Virgin Galactic more than three and a half years after the first SpaceShipTwo, VSS Enterprise, broke apart during a rocket-powered test outing. Co-pilot Michael Alsbury was killed in that accident, and pilot Pete Siebold was injured.

Here’s Virgin Galactic’s stream of tweets about today’s test:

Our team is prepping for a #SpaceShipTwo flight test today pic.twitter.com/U08gFYECmE — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 29, 2018

VMS Eve & VSS Unity are headed out to the runway for final checks — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 29, 2018

Today’s flight is planned to be a partial duration rocket burn that will test a rearward center of gravity closer to the commercial configuration — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 29, 2018

We have take-off. VMS Eve & VSS Unity have taken to the skies and have begun their climb — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 29, 2018

VMS Eve & VSS Unity take to the skies pic.twitter.com/BLQPZIxAaH — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 29, 2018

Today is 13th flight for VSS Unity #SpaceShipTwo, 249th for VMS Eve #WhiteKnightTwo — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 29, 2018

Nice to see some familiar faces on the flight line today alongside our team and their families @RichardBranson #Virginfamily pic.twitter.com/wc9jJ9E3q1 — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 29, 2018

VSS Unity is flying free, having separated cleanly from VMS Eve. #SpaceShipTwo #WhiteKnightTwo — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 29, 2018

VSS Unity’s rocket motor has been ignited for today’s planned partial duration burn. Pointing upwards and accelerating fast — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 29, 2018

Pilots have shut down rocket motor and tail-booms are about to be raised into the #SpaceShipTwo “feathered” re-entry position — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 29, 2018

With the feathers lowered, VSS Unity is turning back to Mojave for the glide home — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 29, 2018

Smooth landing for VSS Unity. Congratulations to our pilots Dave Mackay and Mark “Forger” Stucky #SpaceshipTwo — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 29, 2018

VMS Eve has touched down. Thanks to our pilots CJ Sturckow, Nicola Pecile, and flight test engineer Colin Bennet for completing today’s test flight — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 29, 2018

Back on the ground pic.twitter.com/iIrj6jIFM4 — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 29, 2018