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Space & Astronomy

Richard Branson to visit space 'within months'

By T.K. Randall
May 27, 2018 · Comment icon 8 comments

It won't be long now. Image Credit: YouTube / Virgin Galactic
The Virgin Galactic founder is aiming to be a passenger aboard the first commercial launch of SpaceShipTwo.
It's been a bumpy few years for Virgin Galactic, especially with the loss of its original SpaceShipTwo in October 2014 - an accident that not only claimed the life of a pilot, but also cast doubt on whether the company's lofty goal of carrying tourists in to space would ever happen at all.

Now though, following the success of SpaceShipTwo's successor 'VSS Unity', it is looking as though commercial flights will be happening within the next twelve months.

Among those signed up for the first official passenger spaceflight is the company's founder Sir Richard Branson who has been undergoing special training to prepare himself for the trip.
"We're talking about months away, not years away - so it's close," he told the BBC. "There are exciting times ahead. I'm going for astronaut training; I'm going for fitness training, centrifuge and other training, so that my body will hopefully cope well when I go to space."

Virgin Galactic is not the only company hoping to launch passengers in to space in the near future - Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is also hoping to do something similar with his firm Blue Origin.

"I think we're both neck and neck as to who will put people into space first," said Branson.

"Ultimately, we have to do it safely. It's more a race with ourselves to make sure we have the craft that are safe to put people up there."

Source: BBC News | Comments (8)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #1 Posted by Black Monk 7 years ago
Hopefully the Remainer will stay there.
Comment icon #2 Posted by third_eye 7 years ago
I hope they have o intention of leaving him out there ... or maybe ... never mind ... ~
Comment icon #3 Posted by third_eye 7 years ago
~
Comment icon #4 Posted by Black Monk 7 years ago
Boris Johnson is launching the rocket.
Comment icon #5 Posted by third_eye 7 years ago
Be that as it may be ... you hit the submit button a nano second ahead of me ... I demand a resend ... ~
Comment icon #6 Posted by Skulduggery 7 years ago
Remember when Ashton Kutcher was going to go into space? Bought a ticket and everything. What ever happened with that? It never happened and then it stopped getting talked about in the news. 
Comment icon #7 Posted by Stiff 7 years ago
If that's the case, any chance of Kanye West hitching a ride? Please.
Comment icon #8 Posted by Almighty Evan 7 years ago
Ash K is #500 in line, but unfortunately in March 2012:  Virgin Galactic officials have said they hope the first customers will ride in 2013 or 2014. The flights will launch and land from the new Spaceport America facility in southern New Mexico. Ashton Kutcher Buys 500th Ticket for Virgin Galactic Spaceship Ride


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