Flying to space onboard Virgin Galactic

Richard Branson onboard Unity 22
Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic
Richard Branson's signature
Published on 11 July 2021

I have dreamt about this moment since I was a child, but nothing could have prepared me for the view of Earth from space. It was magical.

I was honoured to test the incredible customer experience onboard Virgin Galactic’s spaceship VSS Unity as part of this remarkable crew of mission specialists - and now astronauts.

How you feel when you look down on Earth is impossible to put into words, it’s just indescribable beauty. I can’t wait for you all to get up there.

Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic

I want to say an enormous thank you to everyone who believed in the Virgin Galactic launch and the team who have worked so hard to make this dream come true; our pilots; my fellow mission specialists Beth, Colin and Sirisha; to everyone who joined us at Spaceport America and to everyone who watched along on the livestream (and for the brilliant performance Khalid – we loved listening along on our beautiful glide to Earth). And thank you to my incredible family – my beautiful wife Joan, Holly and Sam, our grandchildren and all our friends for everything. I love you.

VSS Unity in space during Virgin Galactic #Unity22 test flight
Virgin Galactic

My mission statement, which I wrote inside my spacesuit, is to turn the dream of space travel into a reality - for my grandchildren, for your grandchildren, for everyone.

I said a message to all children while I was in space: I was once a child with a dream looking up to the stars. Now I'm an adult in a spaceship looking down to our beautiful Earth. To the next generation of dreamers: if we can do this, just imagine what you can do.

The VSS Unity rocket lights as the spaceship releases from VMS Eve and heads to space
Virgin Galactic

Having flown to space, I can see even more clearly how Virgin Galactic is the spaceline for Earth. We are here to make space more accessible to all and turn the next generation of dreamers into the astronauts of today and tomorrow.

Richard Branson experiencing weightlessness during the Virgin Galactic Unity 22 spaceflight
Virgin Galactic

We’ve all just had the most extraordinary experience and we want you all to have it too. With that in mind… I have some news.

Today, Virgin Galactic is thrilled to announce that we have partnered with Omaze to open space for everyone.

Go to Omaze.com/space to enter now. Every charitable donation goes to support Space For Humanity and you'll be entered into the Omaze sweepstake for the chance to win two seats aboard one of the first commercial Virgin Galactic spaceflights, and a guided tour of Spaceport America given by yours truly.

Imagine a world where people of all ages and backgrounds, from anywhere, of any gender, of any ethnicity have equal access to space. They will in turn, inspire us all back here on Earth.

If you’ve ever had a dream, now is the time to make it come true. Welcome to the dawn of a new space age.