WASHINGTON (BLOOMBERG) - Virgin Galactic received regulatory approval to fly customers into space, moving the budding industry founded by billionaires one step closer to reality.

The shares surged almost 40 per cent - the biggest one-day jump ever.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) upgraded the company's existing licence to cover customer flights, Virgin Galactic said on Friday (June 25) in a statement, saying the approval was the first of its kind.

The company also confirmed that a May 22 test flight performed well against objectives.

The approval marks another milestone for an industry that not long ago was the stuff of science fiction.

Virgin Galactic, founded by entrepreneur Richard Branson, has been working towards its goal since 2004. Fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos plans his first trip in July, after auctioning a passenger seat for US$28 million (S$37 million).

"A new chapter in the story of human space flight is beginning," the FAA said in a statement on Virgin Galactic.

The agency confirmed it had "approved the first commercial space licence to launch private individuals into space."

Virgin Galactic soared 39 per cent to close at US$55.91. The stock is up about 136 per cent this year.

Data from the May test flight, Virgin Galactic's first rocket burn in two years, confirmed that upgraded horizontal stabilisers and flight controls on the VSS Unity performed in line with predictions, Virgin Galactic said.

The suborbital, rocket-powered craft is carried from takeoff by a larger craft called VMS Eve, then released. In the May flight it achieved a speed of Mach 3 and reached space at an altitude of 55.5 miles (88km).

The company said it would continue preparing for three remaining test flights.