Richard Branson realises his lifelong dream with Virgin Galactic spaceflight

Updated: Jul 12, 2021, 02:26 PM(IST)

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

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Unity takes off

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

(Photograph:Reuters)

The engine roars

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

(Photograph:Reuters)

Branson all smiles

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

(Photograph:Reuters)

Truth or Consequences

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

(Photograph:Reuters)

The take off!

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

(Photograph:Reuters)

What is the science behind it?

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

(Photograph:Reuters)

The big speech

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

(Photograph:Reuters)

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