In Pics | Richard Branson becomes first billionaire to fly own rocket to space
The nearly 71-year-old Richard Branson and five crewmates from his Virgin Galactic space-tourism company reached an altitude of about 53 miles (88 kilometers) over the New Mexico desert.
British billionaire Richard Branson on July 11 soared more than 50 miles above the New Mexico desert aboard his Virgin Galactic rocket plane and safely returned in the vehicle's first fully crewed test flight to space. In this picture he is seen departing with his crew prior to boarding, for travel to the edge of space in Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane VSS Unity, near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. (Image: Reuters).
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Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson waves good bye while heading to board the rocket plane that will fly him to space from Spaceport America. (AP Photo)
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A twin-fuselage aircraft with Unity attached underneath took off in the first stage of the flight. Unity then detached from the mother ship at an altitude of about 8 1/2 miles (13 kilometers) and fired its engine, reaching more than Mach 3, or three times the speed of sound, as it pierced the edge of space. In this picture, rocket plane VSS Unity begins its ascent to the edge of space. (Image: Reuters)
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The brief, up-and-down flight — the rocket ship’s portion took only about 15 minutes, or about as long as Alan Shepard’s first U.S. spaceflight in 1961 — was a splashy and unabashedly commercial plug for Virgin Galactic, which plans to start taking paying customers on joyrides next year. In this picture rocket plane VSS Unity descends after reaching the edge of space. (Image: Reuters)
Members of Richard Branson's family and friends watch as the Virgin Galactic mothership and rocket plane gain speed as it moves down the runway of Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.(AP Photo)
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The Virgin Galactic rocket plane, with founder Richard Branson and other crew members on board, lands back in Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Sunday, July 11, 2021. (AP Photo)
