Richard Branson realises his lifelong dream with Virgin Galactic spaceflight

On July 11, 2021 Richard Branson realised his lifelong dream of witnessing outer space in its full glory. The flight marked marked a victory for Branson who beat Amazon’s former CEO Jeff Bezos to outer space by only nine days. Here are some wonderful images from his short yet significant journey

Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane VSS Unity, carrying Richard Branson and crew, begins its ascent to the edge of space above Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, US July 11, 2021 in a still image from video

Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane VSS Unity, carrying billionaire Richard Branson and crew, starts its engine before commencing it ascent to the edge of space above Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, US July 11, 2021

Billionaire Richard Branson smiles on board Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane VSS Unity before starting its untethered ascent to the edge of space above Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, US July 11, 2021 in a still image from video

Branson's July 11 mission was the twenty-second flight test for VSS Unity, and the company's fourth crewed spaceflight

Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane VSS Unity, borne by twin-fuselage carrier jet dubbed VMS Eve, takes off with billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson and his crew for travel to the edge of space at Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences

Virgin Galactic's spacecraft is not a classic rocket, but rather a carrier airplane that reaches a high altitude and releases a smaller spacecraft, the VSS Unity, that fires its engines and reaches suborbital space, then glides back to earth

Billionaire Richard Branson smiles on board Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane VSS Unity before starting its untethered ascent to the edge of space above Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences