Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson. Media, pioneers and millionaires. And apparently with similar interests. At least when it comes to space travel. Richard Branson plans to venture into space on July 11th aboard Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity. Just days before Jeff Bezos does it at Blue Origin’s New Shepard. This is the millionaires’ space race.
Old goals
The VSS Unity suborbital spacecraft will carry three Virgin Galactic employees and two pilots. Bezos is planning a trip to the edge of space on July 20th. It will do so from midwest Texas on board the New Shepard capsule.
Branson’s suborbital flight would fulfill an old goal for the British billionaire. The company recently completed data analysis on its latest test flight. It was May 22nd and they decided they were ready. That’s what CEO Michael Colglazier said.
“The basis for this is: we are ready,” said Colglazier in an interview quoted by Bloomberg. “There’s nothing like a space race or ‘who goes first?’ that affects that. We do our test flights when we’re ready to fly. Do we believe him? The truth is, the millionaire space race continues.
Vanguard and bag
Branson will evaluate the “private astronaut experience,” the company said. Virgin Galactic is preparing to offer flights to wealthy customers in 2022. The trip this month will be similar to the test flight in May. There Unity flew at an altitude of more than 89 kilometers.
“It’s been more than 16 years of research, development and testing. Virgin Galactic is at the forefront of a new commercial space industry. It will make room for humanity and change the world forever, ”said Branson. in the statement. Virgin Galactic rose 34% on Wall Strett’s stock exchange after the announcement.
They want to resume ticket sales after the two test flights this summer. You were suspended in 2014 because of an accident that killed a test pilot. Virgin Galactic plans to begin regular commercial service next year.
