Billionaire Richard Branson Enters Space of Virgin Galactic Spacecraft

By Alyssa Wilson Published: July 12, 2021

Billionaire Richard Branson Enters Space of Virgin Galactic Spacecraft

Sir Richard Branson on the VSS Unity owned by Virgin Galactic as he traveled into space. (Photo: Virgin Galactic/YouTube)

By: Alyssa Wilson

Sir Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Galactic, became the first billionaire to enter space on a spacecraft owned by a company he helped fund, beating competitor Jeff Bezos of Amazon.

On Sunday, he entered space in a test flight on VSS Unity in a move meant to demonstrate how the Virgin Galactic’s spaceplane is ready to accept passengers, CBS News reported. The aircraft reached an altitude above 50 miles, and Brandson and his crew viewed the Earth from space for a few minutes before descending back to their launch site in New Mexico at Spaceport America.

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“I have dreamt of this moment since I was a kid but honestly, nothing could prepare you for the view of Earth from space,” the 70-year-old said. His company strives to make space open to everybody and change the world for good.

Virgin Atlantic’s CEO Michael Colglazier said, “Today is a landmark achievement for the company and a historic moment for the new commercial space industry. With each successful mission we are paving the way for the next generation of astronauts. I want to thank our talented team, including our pilots and crew, whose dedication and commitment made today possible. They are helping open the door for greater access to space — so it can be for the many and not just for the few.”

Bezos is set to travel to space on the New Shepard spacecraft owned by his company Blue Origin on July 20. Bezos complimented Branson’s accomplishment on Instagram, saying,” congratulations on the flight. Can’t wait to join the club!”