Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson flies own rocket to space

HIS IS THE MOMENT SIR RICHARDBRANSON TOOK ONE GIANT LEAP INTOTHE SPACE TOURISM BUSINESS.DURING THIS TEST FLIGHT, VIRGINGALACTIC ROCKETED ITSSPACE-PLANE UNITY INTO THE'FINAL FRONTIER'...AND BRANSONBECAME THE FIRST PERSONTO BLAST OFF IN HIS OWNSPACESHIP.HE BEATS AMAZON'S JEFFBEZOS AND BLUE ORIGIN INTO SPACEBY JUST NINE DAYS.''IT'S THE EXPERIENCE OF ALIFETIME.''VIRGIN GALACTIC'S MOTHER SHIPCARRIED UNITY TO ABOUT 45THOUSAND FEET.''RELEASE, RELEASE,RELEASE.'' THEN THE SPACE PLANEDROPEDP,ROCKETING UP AT MACH 3 -- MORETHAN THREE TIMES THE SPEED OFSOUND UNTIL IT REACHED THEEDGE OF SPACE.DURING SEVERAL MINUTES OFWEIGHTLESSNESS...BRANSON ANDEVERYONE ABOARD REACHED A PEAKALTITUDE OF ABOUT 53 MILES OVERTHENEW MEXICO DESERT.THIS TEST FLIGHT WAS AMARKETINGBONANZA FOR VIRGIN GALACTIC.IT HOPES TO START TAKING PAYINGCUSTOMERS ON SPACE JOYRIDESSTARTING NEXT YEAR.'MAIN GEAR TOUCHDOWN' WHENUNITY TOUCHED DOWN,THE BRITISH BILLIONAIRE GOT WHATHE HAS CHASED FORNEARLY TWENTY YEARS: HISASTRONAUT WINGS.''THE WHOLE THING.IT WAS JUSTMAGICAL.''''THE MISSION STATEMENT THAT IWROTE INSIDE MY SPACESUIT WAS TOTURN THE DREAM OF SPACE TRAVELINTO A REALITY FR OMYGRANDCHILDREN, WHO ARE HEREFOR YOUR GRANDCHILDREN, AND FORMANY PEOPLE WHO AREALIVE TODAY, FOR EVERYBODY.''BRANSON NEVER STOPS PROMOTING.HIS LATEST IS A SWEEPSTAKESDRAWING FOR CHARITY...TWOSEATS ON A FUTURE FLIGHT TO THEEDGE OF SPACE.