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former9thward

(33,424 posts) Sun Jul 11, 2021, 10:55 AM Jul 2021

Richard Branson and his Virgin Galactic crew safely back from space, ushering in a new era [View all]

Source: Washington Post

For 20 years, Richard Branson has yearned to ride his spaceplane to the edge of space. On Sunday, he did it.

The suborbital trip gave the British billionaire, his three crewmates and two pilots a glimpse of the Earth from more than 50 miles up and a few minutes of weightlessness before the vehicle they were traveling in, SpaceShipTwo Unity, glided back to Earth and a landing on the runway at Virgin Galactic’s facility here in the New Mexico desert.

It was SpaceShipTwo’s fourth trip to the edge of space since 2018, and Virgin Galactic, the company Branson founded in 2004, says it will soon start flying paying customers regularly on similar jaunts, opening a new era in human space exploration.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/07/11/richard-branson-virgin-galactic-live-updates/?wpmk=1&wpisrc=al_news__alert-national--alert-economy--alert-hse&utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=wp_news_alert_revere&location=alert&pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJjb29raWVuYW1lIjoid3BfY3J0aWQiLCJpc3MiOiJDYXJ0YSIsImNvb2tpZXZhbHVlIjoiNTk2ZDViYWFhZGU0ZTIwN2QyOTZhYmVlIiwidGFnIjoid3BfbmV3c19hbGVydF9yZXZlcmUiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YXNoaW5ndG9ucG9zdC5jb20vdGVjaG5vbG9neS8yMDIxLzA3LzExL3JpY2hhcmQtYnJhbnNvbi12aXJnaW4tZ2FsYWN0aWMtbGl2ZS11cGRhdGVzLz93cG1rPTEmd3Bpc3JjPWFsX25ld3NfX2FsZXJ0LW5hdGlvbmFsLS1hbGVydC1lY29ub215LS1hbGVydC1oc2UmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1hbGVydCZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj13cF9uZXdzX2FsZXJ0X3JldmVyZSZsb2NhdGlvbj1hbGVydCJ9.1iSX_G_DQMOD05tZmn09nwglFpATjMyRlqZwJMITUNc

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Richard Branson and his Virgin Galactic crew safely back from space, ushering in a new era [View all] former9thward Jul 2021 OP

I'm so happy the untaxed billionaire parasite class has a new toy!!111!!1! PSPS Jul 2021 #1

He's British Polybius Jul 2021 #13

Branson lives on his "Necker Island" in the BVI and pays no taxes. PSPS Jul 2021 #21

Space is now a 1%ers ego trip. OneCrazyDiamond Jul 2021 #34

Exactly! traitorsgalore Jul 2021 #47

I'm glad that his company employs 800 Americans Jose Garcia Jul 2021 #49

Yawn --- packman Jul 2021 #2

Same. Buckeye_Democrat Jul 2021 #6

Yes, the business model .... Mustellus Jul 2021 #3

Accidents happen but that will not end space flights. former9thward Jul 2021 #9

Spaceflight.... Mustellus Jul 2021 #11

Apollo Mission Larissa Jul 2021 #35

The X-15 program has been called the most successful aeronautical research effort in history. CentralMass Jul 2021 #39

NTSB said it was mostly co-pilot error. eggplant Jul 2021 #46

Ho effing hum. jrthin Jul 2021 #4

"Richard Branson and his Virgin Galactic crew" jcmaine72 Jul 2021 #5

Bored billionaires looking for something interesting to do................... secondwind Jul 2021 #7

He gives a ton to charity Polybius Jul 2021 #12

I expect DU might get pissed off about this guy now... BumRushDaShow Jul 2021 #8

Is the ship designed for the heat of orbital reentry? LastLiberal in PalmSprings Jul 2021 #19

Apparently it is BumRushDaShow Jul 2021 #30

and Air Force Maj Joseph Kittinger ... Mustellus Jul 2021 #44

Neither Baumgartner nor Kittinger flew up to 280,000 ft altitude BumRushDaShow Jul 2021 #45

No, not even close. NullTuples Jul 2021 #50

The problem with a shuttle-style craft is the weight of the wings you're carrying up muriel_volestrangler Jul 2021 #24

I was thinking this was testing a concept of launching BumRushDaShow Jul 2021 #31

There is another branch of Virgin that's just started that with a 747 muriel_volestrangler Jul 2021 #32

Yup... BumRushDaShow Jul 2021 #37

Awesome! Devil Child Jul 2021 #10

Suck it Bozos Blue Owl Jul 2021 #14

It landed and his body parts are attached and not incinerated Warpy Jul 2021 #15

I wish my wallet and body could take the punishment of every available flight experience Devil Child Jul 2021 #17

If only DownriverDem Jul 2021 #16

You do know Branson is British right? EX500rider Jul 2021 #33

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ,,,,,,, Cryptoad Jul 2021 #18

sounds like a lot of money for a cheap thrill stillcool Jul 2021 #20

There was once a time Mr. Evil Jul 2021 #22

I totally agree. The railroads were funded by wealthy men. mainer Jul 2021 #26

The Gilded Age robber barons were super greedy. BigmanPigman Jul 2021 #43

How was this worthy of about 3 hours of coverage on CNN TheDemsshouldhireme Jul 2021 #23

I'm glad he beat Bezos. CrispyQ Jul 2021 #25

When cell phones first came out, only the rich had them. Archae Jul 2021 #27

I see those on reruns of Seinfeld. former9thward Jul 2021 #28

Can't tell if I'm more disgusted or bored by this revelation Orrex Jul 2021 #29

think of all that money being used for this. IcyPeas Jul 2021 #36

Generally all peaceful research & development helps humanity down the road. EX500rider Jul 2021 #38

You care enough to reply, the point is to progress, progress helps humanity. Devil Child Jul 2021 #40

space exploration. meh, more like 1% er thrill ride to me . AllaN01Bear Jul 2021 #41

space exploration (exploitation) by the 1% is the new "let them eat cake" - n/t Locrian Jul 2021 #52

Anytime science and technology is front and center it is helpful.... Jon King Jul 2021 #42

Yes indeed. And this was an amazing technology achievement. Owl Jul 2021 #51

So happy for him. I'm glad he didn't waste time with money on crap like Covid innoculations ... marble falls Jul 2021 #48

This is good, regardless of who did it. Happy Hoosier Jul 2021 #53

It doesn't take much for people to get butthurt ripcord Jul 2021 #54

So it seems... Happy Hoosier Jul 2021 #55

ok llashram Jul 2021 #56