commercial space. the emerging market of space tourism has a genuine success story. sir richard branson, astronaut. reporter: with his new astronaut wings, richard branson was back on the ground but over the moon. his space triumph part bucket m. his space list, part marketing bonanza. what a day, what a day, what a day, what a day! reporter: take off to touchdown the roughly hour-long flight seemed picture perfect. virgin galactic live streamed eve, its twin fuselage mothership nesting unity, the space plane, about the size of an executive jet, unity carried branson and five other people. release, release, release. eporter: at roughly 45,000 feet this spectacular image. eve dropped unity which rocketed straight up to its apogee, more than 53 miles above earth. welcome to space, unity 22. reporter: for several minutes everyone inside experienced microgravity, mega thrills.