Source: fast technology

According to the American Chinese website, Virgin GalaxyThe space tourism company will launch its next test space flight on July 11 and fly into space aboard founder Branson (Richard Branson), it was announced Monday.

According to reports, Branson's move is seen as an attempt to defeat billionaires in the space travel war.AmazonFounder Bezos, who plans to go into space on July 20, aboard the Blue Origin spaceship of his company.

"after more than 16 years of research, engineering and testing, Virgin Galaxy is at the vanguard of the new commercial space travel industry that will open space for mankind and change the world forever." "I am honored to be able to help validate the journey our future astronauts will take and ensure that we provide the unique customer experience that people expect from Virgin Galactic," Branson said in a statement. "

This will be Virgin Galactic's fourth test space flight to date and the first time it has carried four crew members. The company's last space flight on May 22nd had only two pilots.

According to reports, in addition to Branson, there are three Virgin Galactic mission experts: chief astronaut coach Beth Moses, chief operating engineer Colin Bennett and vice president of government affairs Celissa Bandra will also participate in the space flight. Virgin Galactic pilots Dave McKay and Michael Masuchi will fly the company's VSS Unity spacecraft.

Virgin Galactic said it would broadcast the space flight live for the first time.

On June 25, the company announced that the Federal Aviation Administration ((FAA)) had granted its passengers permits for future space flights, and Virgin aims to start receiving paying passengers in early 2022. Branson founded Virgin Galactic in 2004 to build a space tourism business.