Since then, VSS Unity has successfully reached space three times, in 2018, 2019 - which included the first crew member who wasn't a pilot - and finally in May this year. He founded Virgin Galactic in 2004, but the dream almost came to an end in 2014 when an in-flight accident caused the death of a pilot, considerably delaying the program. "As a child, I wanted to go to space," the 70-year-old wrote a few days ahead of his trip. Several tourists journeyed to the International Space Station in the 2000s, but on Russian rockets.īranson's official role is to evaluate the private astronaut experience to enhance the journey for future clients.īranson, who founded the Virgin Group that today has interests in everything from commercial aviation to fitness centers, is known for his appetite for adventure and has set world records in hot air ballooning and boating. He also posted a picture of himself standing in a kitchen with SpaceX boss Elon Musk, who'd come to show his support. "It's a beautiful day to go to space," the brash Brit wrote in a tweet earlier where he posted a video of himself biking to the base and meeting with his crewmates, all Virgin employees.
The ship then re-entered the atmosphere, lowered its flexible wings and glided back to the runway.Ī smiling Branson hugged loved ones after the trip. The spaceplane carried two pilots and four passengers, including Branson. The mission's success means Branson has beaten fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos in the race to be the first tycoon to cross the final frontier in a ship built by a company he founded.Įarlier, a massive carrier plane took off and ascended to 50,000 feet before dropping VSS Unity to complete the rest of the flight using its rocket-powered engine. The trip proceeded without drama, and touchdown occurred at around 9:40 am Mountain Time (1540 GMT), about an hour after take-off.
It reached a peak altitude of around 53 miles (85 kilometers) - beyond the boundary of space, according to the United States - allowing the passengers to experience weightlessness and admire the Earth's curvature.
"Congratulations to all our wonderful team at Virgin Galactic for 17 years of hard, hard work to get us this far," he said during a live feed as the VSS Unity spaceship glided back to Spaceport America in New Mexico. British billionaire Richard Branson flew into space Sunday aboard a Virgin Galactic vessel, a voyage he described as the "experience of a lifetime" - and one he hopes will usher in an era of lucrative space tourism.
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