After Richard Branson, Former Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides Will Fly to Space: Report

Science

Former chief executive officer of Virgin Galactic Holdings, George Whitesides, will fly to space on the aerospace company’s next test spaceflight, CNBC reported on Friday.

Richard Branson, the billionaire founder of Virgin Galactic, flew to space earlier this month, beating Amazon.com’s Jeff Bezos to the final frontier. Branson announced the news about Whitesides during a party in New Mexico on July 11, following his own spaceflight, the report said.

Lori Garver, a former deputy administrator of NASA was present at the party and told CNBC that Branson said, “George will be leading our next flight.”

Branson, whose spaceflight marked a symbolic milestone for the venture he started 17 years ago, touted the mission as a precursor to a new era of space tourism.

Bezos, along with three others including the world’s oldest space traveler and astronaut, Wally Funk, flew into space just days later, aboard his own space company Blue Origin’s rocket.

Virgin Galactic did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

© Thomson Reuters 2021


Articles You May Like

Save $1,500 on RYOBI’s 48V 30-inch electric riding mower at $2,499 in New Green Deals
We’re revising price targets on 5 Club stocks, adding a U.S. retailer to the bullpen and sticking with a key bank
Let Alexa control your heating and cooling with Amazon’s smart thermostat at $60 in New Green Deals
Pallbearers of Queen’s coffin recognised in special honours list
Activision shares jump as British competition regulator drops key concern on Microsoft takeover