It's one small step for man, one giant leap for space tourism. A Texas company called Blue Origin just scored a big victory by sending a tourism capsule into space.

Blue Origin says today's test was flawless.

Near the town of Van Horn, in west Texas, the ground shook Wednesday morning (January 23) as Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket soared to an altitude of 66 miles.

According to a company spokesperson, "It pierced the boundary of space and carried the same capsule that will lift paying passengers, perhaps as early as later this year."

Once given the go-ahead, space tourists will "experience several minutes of weightlessness and a spectacular view of their home planet before they gently fall back to Earth under a parachute."

Source: Associated Press

More From KYBB-FM / B102.7