Billionaire's space race: Richard Branson, 70, dubs himself 'Astronaut 001' in typically flashy video to announce plans to BEAT Jeff Bezos into space by NINE days with July 11 Virgin Galactic test flight
Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson will beat Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos into space by nine days after announcing plans to be Astronaut 001 on the firm's July 11 test flight.
Bezos had already announced in June that he would be heading to space on July 20 alongside his brother and famed female astronaut Wally Funk on Blue Origin's New Shepherd spacecraft, but Branson is now on track to beat Bezos by nine days.
The Virgin Galactic founder was originally scheduled to fly on the second of two upcoming test flights but has been bumped up to the next one to steal a march on his billionaire rival and get to space first.
Branson appeared in a Twitter video to announce his trip on Thursday, and introduced himself as 'Astronaut 001.'
He said: 'I'll be evaluating the customer spaceflight experience. As the Virgin Galactic founder I am so proud to have this remarkable crew of mission specialists and pilots by my side as we fly to space.
'I've always been a dreamer, my mum taught me never to give up and reach for the stars.
'This July, that dream will become a reality, and we're really excited to share with you all, and when we return I will announce something very exciting to more people a chance to become astronauts, because space belongs to us all. So watch this space.'
Richard Branson will be heading to space on a July 11 Virgin Galactic spaceflight
Virgin Galactic´s Richard Branson is planning to beat Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos being the first to blast off into space on their July 11 flight. Branson is pictured in 2019
Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity, piloted by CJ Sturckow and Dave Mackay, is released from its mothership, VMS Eve, on the way to its first spaceflight after launch from Spaceport America, New Mexico in May
A photo shows the release of VSS Unity from VMS Eve and ignition of rocket motor over Spaceport America, New Mexico
The aviation billionaire - who also set up Virgin Atlantic airlines - had declined to say when he might go into space as late as Wednesday.
He stressed that he was 'fit and healthy' and ready to go as soon as his engineers gave him the green light.
The tycoon shared another statement about his firm Thursday. It said: 'After more than 16 years of research, engineering, and testing, Virgin Galactic stands at the vanguard of a new commercial space industry, which is set to open space to humankind and change the world for good.
'I'm honored to help validate the journey our future astronauts will undertake and ensure we deliver the unique customer experience people expect from Virgin.'
It will be Virgin Galactic's fourth test spaceflight and the first mission with a crew of four on board.
Branson will be taking off alongside Beth Moses, Virgin Galactic's chief astronaut instructor who flew to space on the company's second spaceflight mission.
Colin Bennett, the company's lead operations engineer, will also join the flight. He will be Astronaut 003.
Sirisha Bandla, Virgin Galactic's vice president of government affairs and research operations will also be on board as Astronaut 004.
This month's Unity 22 mission will be the 22nd flight test for rocket plane VSS Unity and the company's fourth crewed spaceflight. Virgin Galactic's rocket travels 50 miles into the sky, to the edge of space, before gliding back to Earth and landing on a runway. Blue Earth will see its passengers parachute back to solid ground on capsules.
Beth Moses, Virgin Galactic's chief astronaut instructor, who flew to space on the company's second spaceflight mission will be on board
Colin Bennett, the company's lead operations engineer, will also join the flight
Sirisha Bandla, Virgin Galactic's vice president of government affairs and research operations
Dave Mackay will be piloting the Virgin Galactic spacecraft
Virgin passengers will be able to see the curvature of the Earth against the blackness of space. The entire flight lasts around 10 minutes, including three minutes of weightlessness.
Guests will pay around $250,000-a-ticket, with more than 600 so far reserving a seat. A date for passenger flights yet to be announced, although Virgin Galactic says it will begin its passenger service after three more successful test flights.
The main objectives Virgin's next test flight, taking off from Virgin Galactic's spaceport in New Mexico, will be 'evaluating… seat comfort, the weightless experience and the views of Earth' in the space cabin.
The company said it also wants to demonstrate the conditions for conducting human-tended research experiments and confirm the training program at Spaceport America supports the spaceflight experience.
Addressing the benefits of Branson embarking on the next space flight, Michael Colglazier, chief executive officer of Virgin Galactic, said: 'Our next flight – the 22nd flight test for VSS Unity and our first fully crewed flight test – is a testament to the dedication and technical brilliance of our entire team, and I'd like to extend a special thank you to our pilots and mission specialists, each of whom will be performing important work.
Virgin Galactic plans three more test flights to the edge of space this summer and early fall, before launching with customers
'Tapping into Sir Richard's expertise and long history of creating amazing customer experiences will be invaluable as we work to open the wonder of space travel and create awe-inspiring journeys for our customers.'
Virgin Galactic plans three more test flights to the edge of space this summer and early fall, before launching with customers.
The company had originally put Branson on the second upcoming flight, but has now moved him up to the next one in order to beat Bezos blasting off.
Branson acknowledged it's 'very important' for potential customers to see him strap in for a ride, before opening the doors to the paying public.
The thrill-seeking adventurer, who turns 71 in a few weeks, said he's 'not apprehensive at all' about launching into space.
'It's a dream of a lifetime,' he said.
Last week, Virgin Galactic got the Federal Aviation Administration's OK to start launching customers
Last week, Virgin Galactic got the Federal Aviation Administration's OK to start launching customers.
Virgin Galactic made its third flight to space in May, with two pilots in the cockpit of the winged spaceship.
Amazon's Jeff Bezos is targeting July 20 for his rocket company's first manned launch. The date was chosen to mark the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the moon. Blue Origin's flight from West Texas will include Bezos, his brother, a charity auction winner who's shelling out $28 million and pioneering female astronaut Wally Funk, 82.
Funk was one of 13 NASA astronauts who passed the same tests as their male counterparts in the early 1960s. But they were banned from going into space because of their gender.
Funk has also booked herself a seat on an upcoming Virgin Galactic flight too, meaning she could potentially take two trips into space before the year is out.
She will beat former NASA astronaut John Glenn's record for being the oldest person in space. He was 77 when he last flew aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 1998.
Glenn infamously dismissed the idea of sending women into space shortly after becoming the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962.
Unlike Elon Musk's SpaceX, Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin are looking to send space tourists on brief up-and-down hops - not into orbit around the world.
Amazon's Jeff Bezos is targeting July 20 for his rocket company's first launch with people
Participants enjoy the Blue Origin Space Simulator in June 2019. An unnamed bidder paid $28 million at auction on June 12, 2021, for a seat on board the first crewed spaceflight of Jeff Bezos' company Blue Origin on July 20
Bezos plans to blast into space from West Texas on July 20, the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing
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