According to CNN reporting British billionaire Richard Branson plans to beat rival billionaire Jeff Bezos into space. The billionaire “space race” is heating up. Branson hopes to out-maneuver Bezos to be the first billionaire flying in low orbit space.
Branson’s company, Virgin Galactic, made the surprise announcement on Thursday. The British billionaire got his start in the 1980s when he founded Virgin Atlantic Airlines.
He says he will take flight on Virgin’s rocket-powered plane 9 days before Bezos can get off the ground on July 20th. Blue Origin CEO Bezos recently announced plans for an 11-minute ride in low orbit space. He plans on taking his brother along with him.
It looks like Branson aims to launch into space before Bezos. And hopes to become the first billionaire to make it aboard a spacecraft he owns.
In interviews, Branson has always claimed he’s not interested in “racing” to space.
“People have turned it into a race,” Branson said. “It would be very dangerous to say turn it into a race. And the moment we have every box ticked, I will go up and then we will invite some of the people who have signed up to go with us — but we honestly don’t see it as a race.”
