A SALISBURY pilot helped a Virgin Galactic spaceship safely come through a free-flying test in southern California.

Chief Pilot Dave Mackay and Test Pilot Mark Stucky landed SpaceShipTwo - known as VSS Unity - about 10 minutes after detaching from its carrier aircraft in the Mojave Desert.

The carrier - WhiteKnightTwo - also made it safely back to the ground.

Saturday's flight comes more than two years after a man was killed when the first craft crashed during a powered test flight.

It was triggered when co-pilot Michael Alsbury unlocked the craft's braking system early.

Mr Alsbury was killed and pilot Peter Siebold seriously injured when the spaceship broke apart - again over the Mojave Desert.

Sir Richard, the Virgin Group founder, was with Virgin Galactic chief executive George Whitesides as the test was carried out.

The two men were later pictured congratulating Chief Pilot Dave Mackay, who is a former commanding officer at RAF Boscombe Down, and Test Pilot Mark Stucky.

There will be further glide flights, after which the team will check the Unity's hybrid motor during rocket-powered tests.

Virgin Galactic has said it will begin a commercial operation from Spaceport America in New Mexico "once it believes it is safe to do so".

It will also need regulatory approval.