Space, The Final Frontier For Billionaire Richard Branson Space, The Final Frontier For Billionaire Richard Branson The avowed "Star Trek" fan attributed his drive and taste for adventure to his mother Eve, who died from Covid-19 in January. Richard Branson had hoped to join a commercial flight with Virgin Galactic as early as 2009. London: As famous for his thrill-seeking lifestyle and publicity stunts as for his vast business empire, Richard Branson can now check "astronaut" off his to-do list after successfully completing his first spaceflight. The avowed "Star Trek" fan attributed his drive and taste for adventure to his mother Eve, who died from Covid-19 in January.