they don t work on long-term strategy. that s one area where the biden agenda can be impeded by these decisions. really interesting. we talk about the nominations. the bottom line, they simply don t have the same kind of authority as the senate confirmed official. the washington post s tyler pager. thank you for getting up early with us this morning. appreciate you being here. british billionaire richard branson has made history, becoming the first person to reach the edge of outer space in a rocket funded by his own company. virgin galactic. he launched into space with three employees, flying 53 miles above the earth. it s the final mission before kicking off with commercial flights with paying customers next year. nbc s tom costello was in new mexico for every moment. reporter: under a blazing sun, a new plane drifted off.
virgin galactic. the wings that are the virgin galactic wings, ladies and gentlemen, this, here, is sir richard branson, astronaut. i m never going to be able to do it justice. it s indescribably beautiful. reporter: in an exclusive branson family interview with nbc news i ve got to show it off. reporter: sir richard could not contain his excitement, his kids grateful he s back on terra firma. it s quite bad when your dad is going to do something in pioneering no one s done. reporter: after suggesting on friday that branson and his passengers would not be true astronauts because they don t go as high as bezos and his passengers will, bezos today seemed to concede the win,
unity attached to the belly of its mother ship. inside, richard branson, three other employees and two pilots climbing to 46,000 feet. then 45 minutes after lift-off. three, two, one, release, release, release. reporter: 3gs. passengers in the back have been cleared to unstrap. reporter: the moment branson has been dreaming of since he was a dream, the curvature of the earth and the darkness of space. looking down to a beautiful, beautiful earth. reporter: after three to four minutes of weightlessness, the journey home. safely touching down just over an hour after takeoff. a perfect landing. reporter: on the ground, jubilation, triumph, and the famous branson champagne shower. finally 17 years after starting
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