Virgin Galactic Plans Branson Space Trip Before Bezos Blasts Off

(Bloomberg) -- Richard Branson plans to fly to space on July 11, days before a similar trip by fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos. The shares of Branson’s Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc. surged.

Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity spacecraft will also carry three other company employees and two pilots from the launch site in New Mexico, according to a company statement Thursday. Bezos is planning a trip to space July 20 from nearby West Texas aboard a rocket made by Blue Origin, the Amazon.com Inc. founder’s space company.

Branson will evaluate the “private astronaut experience,” the company said, as Virgin Galactic prepares to offer spaceflights to well-heeled customers in 2022.

“After more than 16 years of research, engineering, and testing, Virgin Galactic stands at the vanguard of a new commercial space industry, which is set to open space to humankind and change the world for good,” Branson said in the statement.

Virgin Galactic soared 23% to $53.20 after the close of regular trading in New York.

The trip will be Virgin Galactic’s fourth flight to space with crew members. Joining Branson will be Beth Moses, the company’s chief astronaut instructor, who has flown previously; Colin Bennett, an operations engineer; and Sirisha Bandla, vice president of government affairs.

Read more: Bezos to Take Former Female Astronaut Trainee, 82, to Space

Virgin Galactic executives have said they intend to resume ticket sales after Branson’s flight. It suspended sales after a 2014 crash killed a test pilot.

Following the planned trip on July 11, Branson said in a blog post that he would “announce something very exciting to give more people the chance to become an astronaut.”

Two more test flights are planned before Virgin Galactic begins its planned regular service next year.

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.