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Virgin Galactic will become the first rocket company to launch the boss when Richard Branson straps into one of his sleek, shiny space planes this weekend.
The self-described tie-loathing adventurer and troublemaker will join five company employees for Sunday’s test flight from New Mexico’s southern desert the company’s fourth trip to the edge of space.
Branson assigned himself to Virgin Galactic’s first full-scale crew, jumping ahead of Blue Origin’s Jeff Bezos, an even richer rocketeer looking to launch himself into space. Bezos’ liftoff is set for July 20 from West Texas.
A brief look at Branson’s ride and company:
BOSS ON BOARD
Just a week shy of turning 71, the London-born founder of the Virgin Group says he s not apprehensive at all and it is the dream of a lifetime” to ride into space. The longtime fitness fanatic put in extra effort to prepare for the brief up-and-down flight. “I’m in my 70s now so you either let yourself go or you get fit and enjoy life.” His wife, children and grandchildren will be there as he climbs aboard the rocket plane that’s attached to a dual-fuselage aircraft for takeoff. During the three to four minutes of weightlessness, “I’ll be looking back at our beautiful Earth and taking it all in and realize that only 500 other people have done this.” Closer to 600, actually, but still a relatively small number. Upon landing, he’ll celebrate with “a great, great grin on my face.”
Virgin Galactic will become the first rocket company to launch the boss when Richard Branson straps into one of his sleek, shiny space planes this weekend. The self-described tie-loathing adventurer and troublemaker will join five company employees for Sunday’s test flight from New Mexico s southern desert the company’s fourth trip to the edge of space. Branson assigned himself to Virgin Galactic’s first full-scale crew, jumping ahead of Blue Origin’s Jeff Bezos, an even richer rocketeer looking to launch himself into space. Bezos’ liftoff is set for July 20 from West Texas. A brief look at Branson’s ride and company:
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Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity rocketplane is released for a glide flight over New Mexico last year. Credit: Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic-founder Richard Branson and five company crewmates are set to take a barnstorming ride to space Sunday in a bold show of confidence in his company’s readiness to start carrying passengers on brief trips out of the atmosphere.