Sir Richard Branson, the English business magnate, is set for his first space flight with Virgin Galactic. Speaking ahead of his upcoming space flight, the Billionaire businessman said, “I truly believe that space belongs to all of us”. The owner is due to test the private astronaut experience during the next test flight window which begins on July 11. After 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.
Branson said he is honoured to be able to help ensure his business delivers a unique customer experience. Virgin Galactic was given the go-ahead to fly paying customers to space after its license was updated by the United States Federal Aviation Administration earlier this month. The main objectives of the next test flight will be evaluating seat comfort, the weightless experience and the views of Earth in the spacious cabin which will take off from Virgin Galactic’s spaceport in New Mexico. The company said it also wants to demonstrate the conditions for conducting research experiments and confirm the training programme at Spaceport America supports the spaceflight experience. Sir Branson said, “It’s one thing to have a dream of making space more accessible to all; it’s another for an incredible team to collectively turn that dream into reality. As part of a remarkable crew of mission specialists, I’m honoured to help validate the journey our future astronauts will undertake and ensure we deliver the unique customer experience people expect from Virgin.” Addressing the benefits of Branson embarking on the next space flight, the chief executive officer of Virgin Galactic said, “Our next flight is proof of the dedication and technical brilliance of our entire team, and I’d like to extend special thanks to the pilots and mission specialists, each of whom will be performing important work.”
Photos source: Evening Standard
