Virgin Galactic Gets Back on Track toward Space Tourism

The only thing interrupting one of New Mexico's most remote stretches of desert is a pristine runway where Virgin Galactic plans one day to launch the world's first commercial space-line.

But the runway has seen little use. No roar of jet engines. Just delayed promises of shuttling passengers to the edges of Earth.

Then came a deadly mishap over California's Mojave Desert last fall during a test flight of the company's rocket-powered spacecraft. Speculation swirled about the future of commercial space travel and Spaceport America.

But Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides says testing will take off again in 2015.

He says the company is turning the corner. It's on track to compete its second spaceship and ramp up for a test-flight program that will serve as one of the last major hurdles to getting off the ground.