BILLIONAIRE Richard Branson is about to blast off to the edge of space – before a safe return to Earth.
But when will the tech mogul take off with Virgin Galactic, and how can you watch it live?
? Read our Richard Branson space flight live blog for the latest updates…
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What time is the Virgin Galactic launch?
Sir Richard’s space tourism firm Virgin Galactic will be flying its boss to space on July 11.
The British billionaire will be taking off with three Virgin Galactic mission specialists: Chief astronaut instructor Beth Moses, lead operations engineer Colin Bennett, and government affairs VP Sirisha Bandla.
Branson’s “Unity 22” mission will liftoff from Virgin Galactic’s spaceport in the New Mexico desert on July 11, according to the company.
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We’re expecting blast-off at 9:00 am ET (2:00 pm BST).
But that could change last minute if weather conditions are deemed unfavourable in the lead up to launch.
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Who is joining Richard Branson on Virgin Galactic spaceflight?
Sir Richard Branson will be accompanied by a crew of experts on the flight to the edge of space.
The team, announced on the Virgin Galactic website, comprises:
- Beth Moses, Chief Astronaut Instructor at Virgin Galactic.
- Colin Bennett, Lead Operations Engineer at Virgin Galactic.
- Sirisha Bandla, Vice President of Government Affairs and Research Operations at Virgin Galactic.
- Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic.
The pilots for the mission are Dave Mackay and Michael Masucci flying VSS Unity and CJ Sturckow and Kelly Latimer flying VMS Eve.
How can I watch Virgin Galactic launch live?
For the first time, Virgin Galactic will livestream the test flight for people to watch along at home.
The livestream will be available to watch on Virgin Galactic.com as well as the firm’s official Twitter, YouTube and Facebook pages.
You can also follow along with the latest using our Richard Branson liveblog.
Science facts
Want to know more about the weird and wonderful world of science? From space and astronomy to the human body, we have you covered…
In other news, scientists have identified the place where aliens are most likely lurking in the Milky Way.
Aliens may have dropped life-detecting sensors onto Earth, according to a Harvard University professor.
China has successfully launched three astronauts into orbit to build its own space station.
And, the European Space Agency has revealed it will be sending a probe called EnVision to study the planet Venus.
Sir Richard Branson discusses his trip to space from his launch pad in New Mexico
