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Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson flew to the edge of space on Sunday.
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He joined a crew of three Virgin employees for the fourth flight of SpaceShipTwo above 50 miles.
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Branson’s role was “mission specialist,” testing the passenger experience for future customers.
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Billionaire Richard Branson, who founded Virgin Galactic in 2004, joined a crew of three employees and two pilots for the fourth high-altitude test flight of the company’s SpaceShipTwo space plane on Sunday.
He and three other Virgin Galactic employees served as a “mission specialist,” testing the passenger experience for future customers: Beth Moses, the company’s chief astronaut instructor; Colin Bennett, its lead operations engineer; and Sirisha Bandla, the vice president of government affairs and research.
The company plans to start commercial tourist flights to the edge of space in 2022 and has already sold roughly 600 tickets worth about $250,000 each, plus another 1,000 on a waiting list for when sales reopen.
Here are 27 photos that capture what it was like.
Virgin Galactic flights depart from the company’s spaceport near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.
The luxurious, retro-futuristic departure lounge is the hub of Spaceport America.
Branson chose to arrive for his flight by bicycle.
Branson posed with crew members Beth Moses, Colin Bennett, and Sirisha Bandla, and pilots Dave Mackay and Mike Masucci.
A star-themed walkway leads out to the tarmac.
The team traveled in Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity.
Branson and the crew posed in front of the company’s SpaceShipTwo space plane.
Inside the cabin are six seats, each next to a 17-inch window.
Detailing on the headrests shows the evolution of flight.
Branson could be seen waving through the window of the spacecraft.
VSS Unity took off with its carrier jet, VMS Eve, named for Branson’s mother.
The VSS Unity spacecraft detached from the VMS Eve mothership…
… and fired its engines.
VSS Unity then began its ascent…
… while VMS Eve turned away and VSS Unity continued its rise on its own.
Once VSS Unity reached the apogee at around 300,000 feet, the engines cut out…
… and the booms moved into position.
Branson took advantage of the zero G environment.
The floating experience lasted only a few minutes…
… but the views were out of this world.
There was still enough time for a few acrobatics…
… and inversions…
… and one last look before bucking back in.
The VSS Unity craft returned to base…
… and was towed back to the spaceport.
Branson popped champagne after being declared an astronaut by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield following his flight…
… and he got the wings to show it.
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