• Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson is greeted by schoolchildren before boarding the rocket plane at Spaceport America, New Mexico.
    Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson is greeted by schoolchildren before boarding the rocket plane at Spaceport America, New Mexico.
  • Pilot Michael Masucci makes his way to Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane 'VSS Unity'.
    Pilot Michael Masucci makes his way to Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane 'VSS Unity'.
  • Sirisha Bandla, Virgin Galactic's vice president of government affairs and research operations, was among the passengers on the flight.
    Sirisha Bandla, Virgin Galactic's vice president of government affairs and research operations, was among the passengers on the flight.
  • Mr Branson is driven to the rocket plane at Spaceport America, near the city of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.
    Mr Branson is driven to the rocket plane at Spaceport America, near the city of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.
  • Mr Branson, his fellow passengers and the crew are driven to the rocket plane.
    Mr Branson, his fellow passengers and the crew are driven to the rocket plane.
  • Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane 'VSS Unity', borne by a twin-fuselage carrier jet called 'VMS Eve', before its launch in New Mexico.
    Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane 'VSS Unity', borne by a twin-fuselage carrier jet called 'VMS Eve', before its launch in New Mexico.
  • Virgin Galactic's chief astronaut instructor Beth Mose embraces Mr Branson and other crew members before boarding the 'VSS Unity'.
    Virgin Galactic's chief astronaut instructor Beth Mose embraces Mr Branson and other crew members before boarding the 'VSS Unity'.
  • People gather to watch the 'VSS Unity' take off from Spaceport America.
    People gather to watch the 'VSS Unity' take off from Spaceport America.
  • The jet takes off on its way to space.
    The jet takes off on its way to space.
  • The 'VSS Unity' and its mothership separate above Spaceport America.
    The 'VSS Unity' and its mothership separate above Spaceport America.
  • The jet starts its engines as it travels to the edge of space.
    The jet starts its engines as it travels to the edge of space.
  • Mr Branson was one of six people on board the 'VSS Unity'.
    Mr Branson was one of six people on board the 'VSS Unity'.
  • Mr Branson enjoys the journey as the billionaire is flown to space.
    Mr Branson enjoys the journey as the billionaire is flown to space.
  • The rocket plane starts its untethered ascent to the edge of space.
    The rocket plane starts its untethered ascent to the edge of space.
  • Mr Branson, his fellow passengers and crew on board the 'VSS Unity'.
    Mr Branson, his fellow passengers and crew on board the 'VSS Unity'.
  • Virgin Galactic's rocket plane begins its ascent to the edge of space.
    Virgin Galactic's rocket plane begins its ascent to the edge of space.
  • It was the 22nd test launch to space on the 'VSS Unity'.
    It was the 22nd test launch to space on the 'VSS Unity'.
  • Mr Branson has travelled to space about 17 years after founding Virgin Galactic.
    Mr Branson has travelled to space about 17 years after founding Virgin Galactic.
  • Spectators watch as the 'VSS Unity' separates from its mothership.
    Spectators watch as the 'VSS Unity' separates from its mothership.
  • The 'VSS Unity' lands after taking passengers including Mr Branson to the edge of space.
    The 'VSS Unity' lands after taking passengers including Mr Branson to the edge of space.

UAE

Science

Elon Musk bought ticket for Virgin Galactic spaceflight back in 2006

The SpaceX billionaire - now a major Virgin rival - was among the first 600 people to buy his place in space

Sarwat Nasir
Sarwat Nasir

July 13, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

SpaceX founder Elon Musk will be going to space one day on a Virgin Galactic rocket, with a ticket he purchased in 2006.

The billionaire, who has his own line of space rockets, was among the first 600 people who bought tickets from Virgin Galactic.

The ticket will cost the equivalent of nearly Dh1 million ($272,000).

Elon Musk has a Galactic ticket. I know because I sold it to him
Will Whitehorn,
Virgin Galactic president (2004-2010)

On July 11, the first fully crewed Virgin Galactic flight successfully reached the edge of space, with the company’s founder Richard Branson on board the VSS Unity space plane.

The flight helped the British billionaire beat rival Jeff Bezos, who will fly to space on July 20 on a Blue Origin rocket.

“Elon Musk has a Galactic ticket. I know because I sold it to him,” Will Whitehorn, who served as president of Virgin Galactic from 2004 to 2010, told Forbes.

Mr Musk paid a Dh36,700 deposit for the ticket, which was priced at Dh735,000 back then, and now costs Dh184,000 more.

He secured the ticket four years after he founded SpaceX, a private company that has transformed space travel with reusable rockets.

Ahead of the flight on Sunday, the South African billionaire visited Mr Branson to wish him luck.

Mr Branson achieved his lifelong dream of going to space when he tested the private astronaut experience and said he made several notes on improvement during the 90-minute journey.

“To you all you kids down there, I was once a child with a dream, looking up to the stars. Now, I’m an adult in a spaceship with lots of other wonderful adults, looking down to our beautiful Earth,” Mr Branson said mid-flight.

“To the next generation of dreamers, if we can do this, just imagine what you can do.”

The flight took off from Spaceport America in New Mexico, after being delayed 90 minutes because of overnight weather.

Carrier jet VMS Eve, named after Mr Branson’s mother, released the VSS Unity space plane at an altitude of about 15,240 metres.

The space plane then climbed to its target altitude of 86 kilometres, where the pilots and crew experienced four minutes of weightlessness.

“There are no words to describe the feeling. This is space travel. This is a dream turned reality,” Mr Branson said.

The flight marked a key milestone for the space tourism industry, a commercial market that would give easier access to space to those who are not part of a government-led space programme.

There were plans announced previously to bring down the cost of the ticket as demand increases.

Virgin Galactic had also announced plans of opening spaceports in different parts of the world.

An agreement between Abu Dhabi Airports and Virgin Galactic was signed in 2019 to build a spaceport at Al Ain Airport.

Richard Branson through the years - in pictures

  • British businessman Sir Richard Branson during the launch of Virgin Atlantic Airways on April 6, 1984.
    British businessman Sir Richard Branson during the launch of Virgin Atlantic Airways on April 6, 1984.
  • The millionaire entrepreneur founded the Virgin group of companies, which covers a wide range of interests from records to airline travel, on a beach in 1986.
    The millionaire entrepreneur founded the Virgin group of companies, which covers a wide range of interests from records to airline travel, on a beach in 1986.
  • Sir Richard Branson in the cabin of the 'Virgin Atlantic Flyer' balloon at Gatwick Airport in 1987.
    Sir Richard Branson in the cabin of the 'Virgin Atlantic Flyer' balloon at Gatwick Airport in 1987.
  • Sir Richard Branson inside the cockpit of a plane in New York in May 2000.
    Sir Richard Branson inside the cockpit of a plane in New York in May 2000.
  • The Virgin founder 'performs surgery' on Australian comedian Jimeoin during a sketch to launch a credit card in Sydney in 2003.
    The Virgin founder 'performs surgery' on Australian comedian Jimeoin during a sketch to launch a credit card in Sydney in 2003.
  • Sir Richard Branson pilots his Gibbs Aquada amphibious car during a record-breaking 2004 crossing of the English Channel.
    Sir Richard Branson pilots his Gibbs Aquada amphibious car during a record-breaking 2004 crossing of the English Channel.
  • Sir Richard Branson with his father and mother at a party in 2004 in Sydney.
    Sir Richard Branson with his father and mother at a party in 2004 in Sydney.
  • Sir Richard Branson signing up to become an astronaut in Sydney in 2005.
    Sir Richard Branson signing up to become an astronaut in Sydney in 2005.
  • Steve Fossett is hugged by Sir Richard Branson in Bournemouth, England, after making an unscheduled landing due to electrical problems with the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer aircraft in 2006.
    Steve Fossett is hugged by Sir Richard Branson in Bournemouth, England, after making an unscheduled landing due to electrical problems with the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer aircraft in 2006.
  • The Virgin Galactic founder next to a British-style red telephone box during a photocall on a man-made island off Dubai in 2006.
    The Virgin Galactic founder next to a British-style red telephone box during a photocall on a man-made island off Dubai in 2006.
  • Sir Richard Branson attends a photocall to launch Virgin Media's television channel Virgin 1, in Oxfordshire, England, in 2007.
    Sir Richard Branson attends a photocall to launch Virgin Media's television channel Virgin 1, in Oxfordshire, England, in 2007.
  • Sir Richard Branson at London's Heathrow Airport in 2008.
    Sir Richard Branson at London's Heathrow Airport in 2008.
  • Sir Richard Branson with employees during the official launch of the Virgin Active Health Club in 2009 in Sydney, Australia.
    Sir Richard Branson with employees during the official launch of the Virgin Active Health Club in 2009 in Sydney, Australia.
  • The Virgin Galactic founder attends the media launch for a new Virgin Racing team in Notting Hill, London.
    The Virgin Galactic founder attends the media launch for a new Virgin Racing team in Notting Hill, London.
  • Sir Richard Branson poses alongside Charlie Graham in 2011 in Sydney, Australia. The tycoon announced a competition that would offer the winner a trip to space aboard a Virgin Galactic space plane.
    Sir Richard Branson poses alongside Charlie Graham in 2011 in Sydney, Australia. The tycoon announced a competition that would offer the winner a trip to space aboard a Virgin Galactic space plane.
  • Sir Richard Branson in a Virgin train in Liverpool, England, in 2012.
    Sir Richard Branson in a Virgin train in Liverpool, England, in 2012.
  • CNBC's Middle East anchor Hadley Gamble, Sir Richard Branson and Sultan bin Sulayem, group chairman and chief executive of DP World, in 2018 in Dubai.
    CNBC's Middle East anchor Hadley Gamble, Sir Richard Branson and Sultan bin Sulayem, group chairman and chief executive of DP World, in 2018 in Dubai.
  • Sir Richard Branson with Virgin Galactic colleagues on July 1.
    Sir Richard Branson with Virgin Galactic colleagues on July 1.
Updated: July 13, 2021, 9:39 AM
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