Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo successfully completed its third rocket-powered supersonic flight on Friday. Flying the SS2 was Virgin Galactic’s Chief Pilot Dave Mackay. Mackay and his co-pilot, Mark Stucky, tested SS2’s Reaction Control System and the thermal protection coating on the vehicle’s tail booms.

The WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) carrier aircraft brought SS2 to an altitude of approximately 46,000 ft. On release, SS2’s rocket motor was started, thrusting the spaceship to an altitude of 71,000 ft — the spaceship’s highest altitude to date — at a top speed of Mach 1.4. Mackay and Stucky also tested the SS’2 feather re-entry system.

The spaceships’s RCS will give its pilots the ability to control the vehicle in space, allowing an optimal viewing experiencing for passengers and helping the positioning process for spacecraft re-entry. The thermal protection coating is being tested to help manage vehicle skin temperatures while the rocket motor is firing.

“I couldn’t be happier to start the New Year with all the pieces visibly in place for the start of full space flights,” exclaimed Richard Branson, found of Virgin Group. “2014 will be the year when we will finally put our beautiful spaceship in her natural environment of space. Today, we had our own Chief Pilot flying another flawless supersonic flight and proving the various systems required to take us safely to space, as well as providing the very best experience while we’re up there.”