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He's always dreamed of it, and in 2004 founded his own company to make it happen.&nbsp;

On Sunday, billionaire Richard&nbsp;Branson&nbsp;will take off from a base in New Mexico aboard a Virgin Galactic vessel bound for the edge of space.

The Briton is hoping to finally get the nascent space tourism industry off the ground -- but also go one up on Jeff Bezos by winning the race to be the first person to cross the final frontier in a ship built by their own company.

The Amazon founder's great rival, SpaceX boss Elon Musk, announced on Twitter he'd be there to witness it.&nbsp;

"Will see you there to wish you the best," he wrote to&nbsp;Branson.&nbsp;

Hours later, Bezos chimed in with a message of support, but only after his own company, Blue Origin, had posted a viral tweet&nbsp;drawing an unfavourable comparison between its space offerings and Virgin Galactic's.

Several tourists journeyed to the International Space Station in the 2000s but onboard Russian rockets.

Branson's official role is to evaluate the private astronaut experience to enhance the journey for future clients.

The spaceflight should take place shortly after 7:00 am Mountain Time (1300 GMT), with a live stream provided by Virgin Galactic on its website.

A massive carrier plane will take off from a horizontal runway, flown by two pilots, gaining altitude for about an hour.

Below this plane hangs the spaceship VSS Unity -- a SpaceShipTwo-class suborbital rocket-powered spaceplane -- with two more pilots and four passengers:&nbsp;Branson&nbsp;and three Virgin employees.

After climbing to 50,000 feet (15 kilometres), VSS Unity, which is about the size of a private jet, will be dropped and then ignites its rocket-powered engine to ascend at Mach 3 beyond the 50 miles (80 kilometres) of altitude considered the edge of space by US agencies.

Once the rocket engine is cut off, passengers can unbuckle and experience a few minutes of weightlessness, while admiring the curvature of Earth from the ship's 17 windows.

After peaking at around 55 miles of altitude, the ship re-enters the thick part of the atmosphere and glides back to the runway.

Space base

Branson, who founded the Virgin Group -- which today has interests in everything from commercial aviation to fitness centres -- is known for his appetite for adventure and has set world records in hot air ballooning and boating.

"As a child, I wanted to go to space," the brash 70-year-old wrote a few days ahead of his trip.&nbsp;

"When that did not look likely for my generation, I registered the name&nbsp;Virgin Galactic&nbsp;with the notion of creating a company that could make it happen."

A dream that almost came to an end in 2014 when an in-flight accident of a Virgin Galactic vessel caused the death of a pilot, considerably delaying the program.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/i-wont-be-going-to-his-funeral-richard-bransons-wife-expresses-nervousness-about-his-spaceflight-397046">Also read |&nbsp;'I won't be going to his funeral': Richard Branson's wife expresses nervousness about his spaceflight</a>

Since then, VSS Unity has successfully reached space three times, in 2018, 2019 -- which included the first crew member who wasn't a pilot, and finally May this year.

Sunday's spaceflight takes off from Spaceport America, a huge base built in the Jornada del Muerto&nbsp;desert, around 20 miles southeast of the nearest dwelling, Truth or Consequences.

Financed largely by the state of New Mexico, Virgin Galactic is the principal tenant.

The base includes a runway more than two miles long and a building with spaces dedicated to flight operations, as well as a reception centre for future customers.

Paying passengers in 2022?

After Sunday, Virgin Galactic plans two further flights, then the start of regular commercial operations from early 2022. The ultimate goal is to conduct 400 flights per year.

Some 600 tickets have already been sold to people from 60 different countries -- including Hollywood celebrities -- for prices ranging from $200,000 to $250,000.

And though, according to&nbsp;Branson, "space belongs to us all," the opportunity, for now, remains the preserve of the privileged.&nbsp;

"When we return, I will announce something very exciting to give more people the chance to become an astronaut," he promised.

The competition in the space tourism sector, whose imminent rise has been announced for years, has come to a head this month.

Bezos, the richest man in the world, &nbsp;is due to fly on July 20 on Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket.

Blue Origin posted an infographic Friday boasting the ways in which thee&nbsp;experience it offers is superior.

The principal point: New Shepard climbs up to more than 60 miles in altitude, thus exceeding what is called the Karman line, the frontier of space according to the international convention.

"None of our astronauts have an asterisk next to their name," the company bragged.

He's always dreamed of it, and in 2004 founded his own company to make it happen. On Sunday, billionaire Richard Branson will take off from a base in New Mexico aboard a Virgin Galactic vessel bound for the edge of space.

He's always dreamed of it, and in 2004 founded his own company to make it happen. On Sunday, billionaire Richard Branson will take off from a base in New Mexico aboard a Virgin Galactic vessel bound for the edge of space. The Briton is hoping to finally get the nascent space tourism industry off the ground -- but also go one up on Jeff Bezos by winning the race to be the first person to cross the final frontier in a ship built by their own company. The Amazon founder's great rival, SpaceX boss Elon Musk, announced on Twitter he'd be there to witness it. "Will see you there to wish you the best," he wrote to Branson. Hours later, Bezos chimed in with a message of support, but only after his own company, Blue Origin, had posted a viral tweet drawing an unfavourable comparison between its space offerings and Virgin Galactic's. Several tourists journeyed to the International Space Station in the 2000s but onboard Russian rockets. Branson's official role is to evaluate the private astronaut experience to enhance the journey for future clients. The spaceflight should take place shortly after 7:00 am Mountain Time (1300 GMT), with a live stream provided by Virgin Galactic on its website. A massive carrier plane will take off from a horizontal runway, flown by two pilots, gaining altitude for about an hour. Below this plane hangs the spaceship VSS Unity -- a SpaceShipTwo-class suborbital rocket-powered spaceplane -- with two more pilots and four passengers: Branson and three Virgin employees. After climbing to 50,000 feet (15 kilometres), VSS Unity, which is about the size of a private jet, will be dropped and then ignites its rocket-powered engine to ascend at Mach 3 beyond the 50 miles (80 kilometres) of altitude considered the edge of space by US agencies. Once the rocket engine is cut off, passengers can unbuckle and experience a few minutes of weightlessness, while admiring the curvature of Earth from the ship's 17 windows. After peaking at around 55 miles of altitude, the ship re-enters the thick part of the atmosphere and glides back to the runway. Space base Branson, who founded the Virgin Group -- which today has interests in everything from commercial aviation to fitness centres -- is known for his appetite for adventure and has set world records in hot air ballooning and boating. "As a child, I wanted to go to space," the brash 70-year-old wrote a few days ahead of his trip. "When that did not look likely for my generation, I registered the name Virgin Galactic with the notion of creating a company that could make it happen." A dream that almost came to an end in 2014 when an in-flight accident of a Virgin Galactic vessel caused the death of a pilot, considerably delaying the program. Also read | 'I won't be going to his funeral': Richard Branson's wife expresses nervousness about his spaceflight Since then, VSS Unity has successfully reached space three times, in 2018, 2019 -- which included the first crew member who wasn't a pilot, and finally May this year. Sunday's spaceflight takes off from Spaceport America, a huge base built in the Jornada del Muerto desert, around 20 miles southeast of the nearest dwelling, Truth or Consequences. Financed largely by the state of New Mexico, Virgin Galactic is the principal tenant. The base includes a runway more than two miles long and a building with spaces dedicated to flight operations, as well as a reception centre for future customers. Paying passengers in 2022? After Sunday, Virgin Galactic plans two further flights, then the start of regular commercial operations from early 2022. The ultimate goal is to conduct 400 flights per year. Some 600 tickets have already been sold to people from 60 different countries -- including Hollywood celebrities -- for prices ranging from $200,000 to $250,000. And though, according to Branson, "space belongs to us all," the opportunity, for now, remains the preserve of the privileged. "When we return, I will announce something very exciting to give more people the chance to become an astronaut," he promised. The competition in the space tourism sector, whose imminent rise has been announced for years, has come to a head this month. Bezos, the richest man in the world, is due to fly on July 20 on Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. Blue Origin posted an infographic Friday boasting the ways in which thee experience it offers is superior. The principal point: New Shepard climbs up to more than 60 miles in altitude, thus exceeding what is called the Karman line, the frontier of space according to the international convention. "None of our astronauts have an asterisk next to their name," the company bragged.

17 years after founding Virgin Galactic, Branson bound for space

As&nbsp;Virgin&nbsp;Galactic&nbsp;finalises plans for founder Richard Branson to join five others on a test flight to the edge of space on July 11, the British billionaire said his wife may be nervous about the launch but he himself wasn't the least bit afraid. 
 
"I've been looking forward to this for 17 years," Branson said in an interview on Tuesday from Spaceport America near the remote town of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. 
 
He said pre-flight preparations only add to the excitement ahead of Sunday's scheduled launch, which will be taking place one week before his 71st birthday. 
 
"Every bit about it is a pinch-me moment," he said. 
 
The launch of Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc's VSS Unity rocket plane over the desert will mark the space tourism company's fourth crewed test mission beyond Earth's atmosphere. But it will be the first to carry a full complement of space travellers, consisting of Branson, two pilots and three mission specialists. 
 
Unity will be launched at an altitude of about 50,000 feet from a Virgin Galactic carrier plane, then soar on its own rocket power to the boundary of space, where the crew will experience about 4 minutes of weightlessness before beginning a descent back to Earth. 
 
The trip is not without the inherent hazards of spaceflight. An earlier prototype of the rocket plane crashed during a 2014 test flight over California's Mojave Desert, killing one pilot and seriously injuring the other. 
 
Asked how his family reacted to the news last week that he would join Sunday's crew, Branson said his children, adventurous like him, were excited, but suggested his wife, Joan, while supportive, was more wary. 
 
"My wife is the sort of person who would be terrified on a&nbsp;Virgin&nbsp;Atlantic airplane," he said. "She's the last person who would want to do something like this. But she's known me since I tried to balloon across the Atlantic or the Pacific or around the world, and she still seems to love us." 
 
He laughed as he quoted his wife telling him: "If you're foolish enough to do these wonderful things, you can do it, but I won't be going to your funeral."

(With inputs from agencies)

As Virgin Galactic finalises plans for founder Richard Branson to join five others on a test flight to the edge of space on July 11, the British billionaire said his wife may be nervous about the launch but he himself wasn't the least bit afraid.

As Virgin Galactic finalises plans for founder Richard Branson to join five others on a test flight to the edge of space on July 11, the British billionaire said his wife may be nervous about the launch but he himself wasn't the least bit afraid. "I've been looking forward to this for 17 years," Branson said in an interview on Tuesday from Spaceport America near the remote town of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. He said pre-flight preparations only add to the excitement ahead of Sunday's scheduled launch, which will be taking place one week before his 71st birthday. "Every bit about it is a pinch-me moment," he said. The launch of Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc's VSS Unity rocket plane over the desert will mark the space tourism company's fourth crewed test mission beyond Earth's atmosphere. But it will be the first to carry a full complement of space travellers, consisting of Branson, two pilots and three mission specialists. Unity will be launched at an altitude of about 50,000 feet from a Virgin Galactic carrier plane, then soar on its own rocket power to the boundary of space, where the crew will experience about 4 minutes of weightlessness before beginning a descent back to Earth. The trip is not without the inherent hazards of spaceflight. An earlier prototype of the rocket plane crashed during a 2014 test flight over California's Mojave Desert, killing one pilot and seriously injuring the other. Asked how his family reacted to the news last week that he would join Sunday's crew, Branson said his children, adventurous like him, were excited, but suggested his wife, Joan, while supportive, was more wary. "My wife is the sort of person who would be terrified on a Virgin Atlantic airplane," he said. "She's the last person who would want to do something like this. But she's known me since I tried to balloon across the Atlantic or the Pacific or around the world, and she still seems to love us." He laughed as he quoted his wife telling him: "If you're foolish enough to do these wonderful things, you can do it, but I won't be going to your funeral." (With inputs from agencies)

Virgin Galactic's Branson calls his upcoming spaceflight a 'pinch-me moment'

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