Reading today’s headlines you may think that billionaire entrepreneurs are new to the space race – they’re not. It all started with them. Here’s the brief history of private space travel.
Virgin Galactic
Mubadala
Abu Dhabi-backed Virgin Galactic takes crew to altitude of 55 miles
SpaceShipTwo, carrying a passenger for the first time, exceeds the US definition of space – anything over an altitude of 50 miles
Abu Dhabi
UK should follow UAE in appointing minister of tolerance, says Richard Branson
The Virgin Group founder also suggested Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak Al Nahayan visit the UK
mojave air and space port
Video: Sir Richard Branson – space tourists are next
Virgin Galactic has successfully sent a spacecraft to the edge of space.
Mubadala
Abu Dhabi-backed Virgin Galactic reaches space for first time
VSS Unity flew higher than it ever has before, surpassing what the US Air Force considers the boundary of space
Richard Branson
Abu Dhabi-backed Virgin Galactic to launch space flight ‘within weeks’
Abu Dhabi and Saudi’s Public Investment Fund have supported the space programme headed by British entrepreneur Richard Branson
California
Video: Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic hit a milestone
Virgin Galactic launched and landed a second successful supersonic flight. Richard Branson told CNBC that he believes his space tourism company is just “2 or 3” flights away from making it into space. Branson added that he will be a passenger on the first flight.
Aerospace
Video: Virgin Galactic tests ship that could bring tourists to space
Virgin Galactic, the aerospace company owned by Richard Branson fired up its VSS Unity spaceship for the first time since a deadly crash in 2014.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Hyperloop a ‘catalyst’ for change in Saudi Arabia, says Crown Prince
Virgin Hyperloop said it could cut travel time between Riyadh and Jeddah from 10 hours to down to 76 minutes
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund
Saudi fund says to invest $1bn in Virgin Galactic
Public Investment Fund announces investment in Richard Branson’s space tourism company
Aviation
Virgin Galactic CEO to speak at Dubai Airshow
For the first time, the Airshow will include a two-day conference on space exploration
B.V.I Art Reef
Why Richard Branson intentionally sunk his latest endeavour
With plans already underway to conquer space tourism, Richard Branson’s latest endeavour is an underwater art gallery