Image via Virgin Galactic//
Earth is done for, so to infinity and beyond!
Virgin Galactic, the spaceflight company founded by billionaire Richard Branson, has today announced that it will begin offering interstellar travel tickets to the general public. Launching tomorrow in the US, the flights give ticket holders the chance to travel into the exosphere (science slang for high as hell), with initial prices going for a cool $629, 000 AUD.
Taking off from Spaceport in New Mexico, the Virgin Galactic trip requires would-be astronauts to first undergo a days-long space-readiness program, before launching them into a 90-minute round trip. Customers will experience a few minutes of weightlessness, and enjoy spectacular views of a planet that’s spectacularly degrading (Earth).
Image via Virgin Galactic//
Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic/wanting to jump ship, said that the news provides an “incredibly strong foundation” for the future of commercial space fleets. “We plan to have our first 1,000 customers on board … later this year,” he said.
This latest development in space tourism comes after last year’s billionaire space race which, in addition to feeling like a dick measuring contest between billionaires like Branson and Elon Musk, was also successful in ferrying the first all-civilian crew to the sub-orbital zone. Those interested in the Virgin Galactic spaceflight can apply here, but forewarning, the deposit is $209,000 AUD.
