© 2026 ABC News

Virgin Galactic, part of Branson's group of companies, has announced plans to operate a fleet of SpaceShipTwo vehicles for private sub-orbital flights.

This is the second private space mission to end catastrophically this week.

On Tuesday, an Antares rocket produced by Orbital Sciences exploded seconds after liftoff in Virginia while on a NASA-contracted supply mission to the International Space Station.

\"This hasn't been an easy week. It certainly has been a challenge,\" Witt said. \"But where I’m from this is where you find out your true character.\"

ABC News' Matt Hosford and Jonah Lustig contributed to this report.

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