British billionaire Richard Branson plans to travel in space on July 11 aboard the spacecraft “Virgin Galaxy”.
Blue Origin is scheduled to fly on July 20 with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos on board.
Thus, according to the schedules, Branson will overtake Bezos in the competition between “Virgin Galaxy” and “Blue Origin”.
The mission may take off on July 11, depending on weather and other factors, Virgin Galaxy announced on July 1.
Thus, the flight planned for launch could take place just before the launch of the suborbital “New Shepard” of Bezos, which is scheduled for July 20, announced space.com.
“I’ve always been a dreamer. My mother taught me never to give up and reach for the stars. On July 11, it’s time to make that dream a reality on the next @VirginGalatic space flight,” Branson tweeted.
I’ve always been a dreamer. My mum taught me to never give up and to reach for the stars. On July 11, it’s time to turn that dream into a reality aboard the next @VirginGalactic spaceflight https://t.co/x0ksfnuEQ3 #Unity22 pic.twitter.com/GWskcMSXyA
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) July 1, 2021
Bezos in space with a guest of honor – the oldest man on such a mission
Wally Funk, 82, will accompany Jeff Bezos into space on a Blue Origin flight on July 20, AFP and the Associated Press reported. She will become the oldest person to fly in space.
Wally Funk will be the fourth passenger on the first flight of the space travel company’s New Shepard spacecraft. She will fly with the billionaire, his brother Mark Bezos and the winner of the auction, whose name has not been announced.
Jeff Bezos has chosen Wally Funk as a guest of honor. She was one of 13 women trained as Mercury astronauts in the 1960s. However, they did not fly in space, they were not even accepted into the squad of astronauts because of their gender.
“No one has waited any longer,” Jeff Bezos wrote on Instagram. “It’s time. Welcome to the crew, Wally.”
Funk is a pilot and former instructor. She is the first inspector in the Federal Aviation Administration.
Space Race: Virgin is not far behind
Richard Branson’s Virgin Galaxy Holdings Inc. announced on June 25 that it had received approval from the US aviation regulator to transport people into space after a successful flight test last month, Reuters reported.
Virgin Galaxy made its first manned space flight from its new center in New Mexico in May. Her spacecraft, SpaceShip Two, with a capacity of six passengers, was successfully landed by two pilots.
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