Virgin Galactic rolls out new space tourism rocket plane

Virgin Galactic rolled out a new version of its SpaceShipTwo space tourism rocket on Feb 19 as it prepares to return to flight testing for the first time since a 2014 accident destroyed the original craft, killing a pilot and setting back the nascent industry.

A Land Rover with Virgin Galactic founder Sir Richard Branson standing through the sunroof pulled the ship in front of an audience inside a hangar at Southern California's Mojave Air & Space Port, where it was assembled.

Branson's 1-year-old granddaughter, Eva-Deia, helped by her mother, christened the craft by breaking a little bottle of milk over its nose. The baby is the daughter of Branson's son, Sam, and his wife, Bellie.