Reader’s Digest UK – July 2019

Galactic's first space flights—a snip

at £200,000 a pop. One confirmed

passenger is Matthew D Upchurch,

CEO of Virtuoso. Upchurch has paid

to be what's known as a Founder

Astronaut. "This means I’ll be among

82 • JULY 2019

SPACE TOURISM: ONE SMALL STEP FOR PRIVATE COMPANIES

on everyday life. For example, it's

common knowledge that hundreds

of wannabe astronauts (including

Brad Pitt and Katy Perry, if rumours

are to be believed) have already

paid for a spot on one of Virgin

“HUDREDS OF WANNABE ASTRONAUTS

HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR A SPOT ON

ONE OF VIRGIN'S FIRST SPACE FLIGHTS”

Richard Branson at
Farnborough International
Airshow 2012 posing
inside mock-up of
"Spaceship 2" holding
model of "Launcher 1"

PHILIP DAVIES / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO