(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Virgin Galactic is now a publicly traded company.
Stock in the Richard Branson-owned space tourism company started trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Revenue flights are expected to start in 2020. Even so, the company says 600 passengers have already paid $250,000 for the opportunity to skirt the edge of space.
Paul Hochman, president of Humongous Media and former Tech Editor for the Today Show, tells the WBBM Noon Business Hour that publicly traded stock brings an added level of scrutiny to a company that has only flown one paying passenger.
"The introduction of the stock obviously signaled their seriousness of purpose. They're taking public money to try and generate a business," Hochman said.
Virgin Galactic has been testing a spacecraft that would be launched from an airplane at high altitude.
"Up to six passengers are going to go up to about 50,000 feet in a jet-powered vehicle. Their little craft will be underneath that jet-powered vehicle. It will be dropped off at 50,000 feet and shot straight into space," Hochman said.
Passengers will experience 20 minutes of weightlessness before the spacecraft returns to earth and lands like an airplane.