Virgin Galactic Founder Richard Branson to Fly Into Space 9 Days Ahead of Jeff Bezos' Spaceflight

By Joshua Summers First Posted: Jul 01, 2021 11:34 PM EDT

Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson was scheduled to have his spaceflight on July 11 for an up and down test flight. Onboard his VSS Unity rocketplane, CBS News reported that Richard Branson would fly nine days ahead of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' flight into space that will take place on July 20.

Branson's company announced it on Thursday evening, July 1. The said spaceflight will mark the company's fourth piloted launch into space, which were all test missions. The event would also mark VSS Unity's 22nd flight overall.

The Guardian reported that the Virgin Galactic founder would be among the six people on board the company's spacecraft.

Richard Branson will be joined by pilots Dave MacKay and Michael Masucci, operations engineer Colin Bennett, Virgin's chief astronaut instructor Beth Moses, and Virgin's vice president for government affairs and research operations Sirisha Bandla.

Virgin Galactic's spaceflight is geared to evaluate the seat comfort, weightless experience, and views of the Earth.

"After more than 16 years of research, engineering, and testing, Virgin Galactic stands at the vanguard of a new commercial space industry," Branson said, adding that new industry would open space to "humankind and change the world for good."

The VSS Unity rocketplane that Richard Branson would ride to space will launch in New Mexico after the Federal Aviation Administration allowed Virgin to take paying customers in late June. The company gained permission after a successful test flight that happened in May.

Wally Funk to Join Blue Origin's Jeff Bezos in Space

The announcement of Virgin Galactic's flight on July 11 came as Blue origin also announced that Wally Funk would join Jeff Bezos in space on July 20.

Funk is an 82-year-old NASA trainee who was denied being a U.S. astronaut despite successfully completing her program, Daily Caller reported.

Citing CNN, Daily Caller noted that the 82-year-old outperformed astronaut John Glenn as she spent 10 hours and 35 minutes inside a sensory deprivation tank, which was one of the tests during her training.

"I'll love every second of it. I can hardly wait," Funk said in Bezo's Instagram video.

Blue Origin was reported to carry out 15 unpiloted test flights of its New Shepherd rocket and capsule. Jeff Bezos planned to take off on July 20, which is the 52nd anniversary of Apollo 11's landing on the moon.

Furthermore, Jeff Bezos would blast into space from West Texas with his brother on board the Blue Origin rocket.

Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin on Space Tourism

CBS News noted that both Virgin Galactic and Bezo's Blue Origin are competing in the emerging marketplace of space tourism.

Both of the companies would offer short spaceflights just above "discernible atmosphere." The trip would offer a few minutes of weightlessness and views before returning to Earth.

Virgin Galactic and Blue origin have not yet revealed the price for a space flight. However, it was expected to cost around $250,00 and $500,000.

Despite the price, some enthusiasts made deposits for flights on Richard Branson's company, which was expected to begin in 2022.

WATCH: Richard Branson to Fly on Virgin Galactic Unity 22 on July 11! Meet the Crew - From VideoFromSpace