Virgin Galactic (NYSE:SPCE) stock popped about 10% on Wednesday as the company’s first test flight in over a year took flight.

According to FlightAware, the VMS Eve took flight from Mojave, California. The company had previously forecast test flights in January, marking the first test of the mothership since late 2021. The

“SPCE's mothership aircraft took off from Mojave, CA in what appears to be its first test

flight since undergoing mechanical upgrades,” Wells Fargo noted. “This is an important milestone toward its planned customer service launch in Q2.”

Shares of Virgin Galactic (SPCE) rose 9.82% in afternoon trading on Wednesday, extending year to date gains to over 66%.