By Al Root
Richard Branson's flight to the edge of space got underway at about 10:40 ET this morning as a double-hulled plane carrying a spacecraft successfully took off from a desert in New Mexico.
The spacecraft, called VSS unity, is slated to detach at about 50,000 feet in the air and proceed to its destination about 57 miles above Earth. It then plans to return for a runway landing, in a round trip of about 90 minutes.
Branson's Virgin Galactic (ticker: SPCE) hopes the flight will help open a new industry of space tourism. Branson and three others are strapped in for the ride, marking Virgin Galactic's first crewed flight.
Investors will be watching closely for clues about the future of space tourism--and Virgin Galactic's stock. The stock has surged in recent weeks in anticipation of the flight. Last Thursday alone, it jumped some 17% -- and a successful mission looked to be priced into Friday's close of $49.20
A livestream of the test flight can be viewed on the company's website and on Barron's below.
Write to Al Root at allen.root@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 11, 2021 10:47 ET (14:47 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2021 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Comment(8)
livestream of test flight
Excellent, please like and comment.
sure, done.
Awesome👍🏼
History in the making. Congrats
good
Nice
Great
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