Space tourism era ready for unofficial liftoff with Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson on competing flights

CBSN

Friday, July 09, 2021 02:08:23 PM UTC

The era of space tourism is set to soar, with highly symbolic flights by rivals Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin scheduled just days apart.

Virgin Galactic — founded by flamboyant British billionaire Sir Richard Branson — is planning for a July 11 space flight. Blue Origin — started by Jeff Bezos of Amazon fame — is set to blast off on July 20. The two companies will serve the nascent market for suborbital flights lasting just a few minutes, long enough for passengers to experience weightlessness and view the contour of the planet.

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Space tourism era ready for unofficial liftoff with Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson on competing flights

CBSN

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