Billionaire Branson Set to Fly to Space Aboard Virgin Galactic Rocket Plane

Billionaire Branson Set to Fly to Space Aboard Virgin Galactic Rocket Plane
Virgin Galactic co-founder Sir Richard Branson, CEO George Whitesides and Social Capital CEO Chamath Palihapitiya pose together outside of the New York Stock Exchange in New York, on Oct. 28, 2019. Brendan McDermid/Reuters
Reuters
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Decades after burnishing his reputation as a wealthy daredevil mogul in a series of boating and hot-air balloon expeditions, Richard Branson is poised to promote his burgeoning astro-tourism venture by launching himself to the final frontier.

Branson’s Virgin Galactic Holding Inc is due on Sunday to send the company’s passenger rocket plane, the VSS Unity, on its first fully crewed test flight to the edge of space, with the British billionaire founder among the six individuals strapping in for the ride.