<p>Virgin Galactic's passenger aircraft SpaceShipTwo was forced to abort a test flight on Saturday after a technical malfunction, with the two pilots returning to Earth safely, the company said.</p>.<p>Richard Branson's space tourism company, which is preparing for commercial flights next year, was testing its customer cabin, horizontal stabilizers and flight controls.</p>.<p>"The ignition sequence for the rocket motor did not complete. Vehicle and crew are in great shape," Virgin Galactic said on Twitter.</p>.<p>SpaceShipTwo took off from the Spaceport America base in New Mexico Saturday afternoon, but the two pilots had to turn around and landed just over an hour later.</p>.<p>"Pilots and vehicles back safe and sound," the company said.</p>.<p>It added later: "We have several motors ready at Spaceport America. We will check the vehicle and be back to flight soon."</p>.<p>SpaceShipTwo is expected to take its first passengers into space in 2021.</p>.<p>So far, 600 people who have paid up to $250,000 — Virgin Galactic calls them "future astronauts" — have been waiting for years to take their seats.</p>.<p>SpaceShipTwo's development has been delayed by a devastating crash of the first one in 2014 due to a pilot error.</p>
<p>Virgin Galactic's passenger aircraft SpaceShipTwo was forced to abort a test flight on Saturday after a technical malfunction, with the two pilots returning to Earth safely, the company said.</p>.<p>Richard Branson's space tourism company, which is preparing for commercial flights next year, was testing its customer cabin, horizontal stabilizers and flight controls.</p>.<p>"The ignition sequence for the rocket motor did not complete. Vehicle and crew are in great shape," Virgin Galactic said on Twitter.</p>.<p>SpaceShipTwo took off from the Spaceport America base in New Mexico Saturday afternoon, but the two pilots had to turn around and landed just over an hour later.</p>.<p>"Pilots and vehicles back safe and sound," the company said.</p>.<p>It added later: "We have several motors ready at Spaceport America. We will check the vehicle and be back to flight soon."</p>.<p>SpaceShipTwo is expected to take its first passengers into space in 2021.</p>.<p>So far, 600 people who have paid up to $250,000 — Virgin Galactic calls them "future astronauts" — have been waiting for years to take their seats.</p>.<p>SpaceShipTwo's development has been delayed by a devastating crash of the first one in 2014 due to a pilot error.</p>