Virgin Galactic Signs Up 529 Space Tourists

Abu Dhabi-backed Virgin Galactic, the space tourism arm of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, said 529 would-be astronauts have put down deposits to travel into space.

The firm, which is part owned by the UAE’s Aabar Investments, said it was expanding to include a satellite-launching service that would use a low-cost rocket system to propel payloads into orbit.

Speaking at the Farnborough International Air Show, Branson said Virgin Galactic wants to “revolutionise the way we get to space”.

More than 500 people have put their names down for the US$200,000 trip, which will last for around two hours and travel 60 miles high. Virgin said it expects to fly 600 people in the first two years of service.

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