Sir Richard Branson Jumps Ahead of Jeff Bezos in First to Space Race
Hello again, it’s Rocketman, Ken Baxter from sunny, Las Vegas, NV and welcome to my blog. I’ve got some really BIG news.
I wanted to give you all another update on the launch of the Unity 22 craft poised to carry many excited passengers into space after receiving FAA approval. In a stunning announcement on July 1st, Virgin Galactic announced that it will lauch from Spaceport America on July 11th with a crew of 5 and one very special passenger – Astronaut 001 – Sir Richard Branson!
The July 11, 2021 launch eclipses the scheduled Bezos Bros attempt on July 20th by a full 9 days making Sir Richard the first of the space entrepreneurs to experience the thrill of weightlessness at 300,000 feet above the earth. Bezos’ Blue Origin flight is just 15 days after he is set to resign as CEO of Amazon.
Branson will be evaluating the customer spaceflight experience as comfort and satisfaction have been core principles of the Virgin organization since its inception. He has also promised an exciting announcement upon his return!
Sir Richard has invited all astronauts to attend the momentous launch from Spaceport America in New Mexico – as many as can attend on such short notice. As you may know, Linda and I have attended just about every launch or event at the spectacular Spaceport facility but due to prior commitments we will not be able to attend.
For the first time, Virgin Galactic will share a global livestream of the spaceflight. Audiences around the world are invited to participate virtually in the Unity 22 test flight and see first-hand the extraordinary experience Virgin Galactic is creating for future astronauts. The livestream will be available to watch on Virgin Galactic.com and will be simulcast on the Virgin Galactic Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook channels. It is expected to begin at 7:00 am MDT / 9:00 am EDT on the day of the flight.
We will be watching as history is made – knowing my turn is next!
If you would like to discuss I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or contact me directly at rocketman@kenbaxter.com
Thank you again for visiting my blog – Ken Baxter the Rocketman of Las Vegas!
