British billionaire Richard Branson flew into space on Sunday on a Virgin Galactic ship, the trip he described as a “lifetime experience” – and what he hoped would deliver a favorable room tourism era.
“Congratulations to all our extraordinary teams in Virgin Galactic for 17 years of hard work and hard to tell us so far,” he said during direct feed because the vsS space united slid back to SpacePort America in New Mexico.
It reaches a peak height of around 53 miles (85 kilometers) – beyond the space limit, according to the United States – which allows passengers to experience without weight and admire the curvature of the earth.
The trip was running without drama, and Touchdown occurred around 9:40 a.m.
(1540 GMT), about an hour after taking off.
The success of the mission means Branson has beaten fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos in a race to become the first tycoon to cross the last border on a ship built by the company he was established.
Previous AP photo, a large-scale carrier took off and rose 50,000 feet before dropping unity to complete the rest of the flight using a rocket powered engine.
Spaceplane brought two pilots and four passengers, including Branson.
The ship then re-entered the atmosphere, lowered its flexible wings and slid back to the runway.
A branson who smiled hugged loved ones after the trip.
“It’s a wonderful day to go into space,” Brash Brit wrote in a previous tweet where he posted his video cycling to the base and met with his friends, all virgin employees.
He also posted a photo of him standing in the kitchen with a spacex boss Elon Musk, who came to show his support.
A few tourist photos traveled to the International Space Station in the 2000s, but on Russian rockets.
Branson’s official role is to evaluate the experience of personal astronauts to increase future client trips.
Space Basebranson, which established a Virgin group that today has an interest in everything starting from commercial flights to a fitness center, known for its appetite for adventure and has set world records in balloons and hot air boating.
“As a child, I want to go to Angkasa,” The 70-year-old children wrote a few days before his trip.
He founded Virgin Galactic in 2004, but the dream almost ended in 2014 when an accident on a flight caused the death of a pilot, very delayed the program.
Since then, VSS Unity has managed to reach space three times, in 2018, 2019 – which includes the first crew members who are not pilots – and finally in May this year.
Photo: Twitter / Richard Branson Sunday flights depart from Spaceport America, a large base built in the Jornada del Muerto Desert, about 20 miles southeast of the nearest city, truth or consequences.
Partly funded by the state of New Mexico, Virgin Galactic is the main tenant.
Pay for passengers in 2022? After Sunday, Virgin Galactic planned two more flights, and then the commencement of regular commercial operations began early 2022.
The main objective was to carry out 400 flights per year.
About 600 tickets have been sold to people from 60 different countries – including Hollywood celebrities – for prices ranging from $ 200,000 to $ 250,000.
And though, according to Branson, “our space is all,” the opportunity to currently remain a special reserve.
“When we return, I will announce something very interesting to give more people the opportunity to become an astronaut,” he promised.
Competition in the space tourism sector, the increase that will occur has been announced for years, has come to the head this month.
Bezos, the richest person in the world, will fly on July 20 at the new Blue Rocket Shepard.
Blue origin posts Friday infographics boasting ways in which the experience offered is superior.
The main point: Shepard just rises to more than 60 miles at a height, so that it exceeds what is called the Karman line, the border of the space according to the International Convention.
Bezos himself hopes Branson “good luck” in an Instagram post.