News

Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic takes first tourists to space

Published

2 years ago

August 11, 2023

Richard Branson’s long-anticipated venture, Virgin Galactic, achieved a significant milestone as it carried its first group of tourists to the edge of space.

The event marked Branson’s inaugural customer flight after facing years of delays, heralding the beginning of Virgin Galactic’s offering of monthly space rides. This achievement places Virgin Galactic alongside Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the competitive space tourism industry.

The successful flight saw the rocket soaring into space with a select group of passengers, including a former British Olympian and a mother-daughter duo from the Caribbean. This monumental step forward signifies the company’s readiness to offer its commercial space travel services to the public.

Jon Goodwin, a remarkable 89-year-old athlete who competed in canoeing during the 1972 Olympics, was among the first ticket buyers back in 2005 when the ticket prices were a modest $200,000. The cost of a ticket has since surged to a staggering $450,000. Accompanying Goodwin on this historic journey were Keisha Schahaff, a 46-year-old health coach from Antigua, and her 18-year-old daughter, Anastatia Mayers, a student at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.

Amid the cheers of onlookers at Spaceport America in the New Mexico desert, Goodwin shared his excitement, proclaiming, “That was by far the most awesome thing I’ve ever done in my life.” The mother-daughter duo made a triumphant return, exchanging high-fives and fist pumps with the elated crowd.

Gender balance

Remarkably, the flight marked a significant achievement in gender balance, with women outnumbering men onboard, a rare occurrence in spaceflight history.

The spaceplane’s journey extended approximately 15 minutes, reaching a height of 55 miles. Although this marked Virgin Galactic’s seventh space journey since 2018, it was the company’s first voyage with a paying customer. Notably, Richard Branson himself joined the first full-size crew ride in 2021, demonstrating his commitment to the venture.

Branson’s innovative company had previously held a virtual lottery to select its first 50 customers, known as the Founding Astronauts. Given his age and Parkinson’s disease, Jon Goodwin was designated as the first passenger.

Following the successful flight, Richard Branson expressed his elation on Twitter, congratulating the commercial astronauts and warmly welcoming them to the exclusive space-travel “club.”

With about 800 individuals currently on Virgin Galactic’s waiting list, the demand for such experiences remains strong. The company’s achievement is a testament to the growing allure of space tourism and the technological advancements driving it.

News

SpaceX IPO could make Elon Musk’s Mars dream a trillion-dollar reality

SpaceX’s upcoming IPO could raise $25 billion and value the company over $1 trillion, igniting investor excitement for Mars missions.

Published

14 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Harvey Vargas

SpaceX’s upcoming IPO could raise $25 billion and value the company over $1 trillion, igniting investor excitement for Mars missions.

Investors are buzzing as SpaceX gears up for a potential IPO, aiming to raise more than $25 billion, possibly as soon as June. The offering could value the company at over $1 trillion, fueling Musk’s ambitious plans for Mars and beyond.

Despite the high-risk nature of space ventures, demand from retail investors is expected to be strong. Experts predict this IPO could become historic, with the company’s market value potentially soaring past $2 trillion once it launches.

Musk’s unconventional management style hasn’t slowed investor enthusiasm, even amidst regulatory hurdles. The funds raised could also support groundbreaking innovations, including energy-efficient space data centers.

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#SpaceX #ElonMusk #IPO #MarsMission #Investing #StockMarket #TrillionDollar #SpaceTech

News

Russia shoots down 280+ Ukrainian drones as Zelenskyy pushes new peace plan

Russia claims 280 Ukrainian drones shot down; Zelenskyy finalizes a new peace proposal amid rising tensions and military clashes.

Published

14 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Harvey Vargas

Russia claims 280 Ukrainian drones shot down; Zelenskyy finalizes a new peace proposal amid rising tensions and military clashes.

Russia’s Defence Ministry claims it has shot down over 280 Ukrainian drones, with 40 intercepted near Moscow, some targeting the city directly. Emergency services responded to debris, and temporary flight restrictions were enforced at Moscow’s airports amid the attacks.

Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy revealed his team is finalizing a revised 20-point peace proposal, introducing new ideas on territorial control. Ukrainian and American officials are set to consult online, focusing on security guarantees rather than the detailed points of the plan.

As tensions rise, both military clashes and diplomatic efforts continue to shape the future of the conflict. Keep up with the latest updates and expert analysis on these unfolding events.

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#UkraineConflict #RussiaUkraine #Zelenskyy #DroneAttack #PeacePlan #Moscow #WorldNews #TickerUpdates

News

Disney invests $1B in OpenAI to generate Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar videos

Disney invests $1 billion in OpenAI for AI-generated videos featuring iconic characters, enhancing fan interactions and launching in 2026.

Published

15 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Harvey Vargas

Disney invests $1 billion in OpenAI for AI-generated videos featuring iconic characters, enhancing fan interactions and launching in 2026.

Disney is taking AI to the next level, investing $1 billion in OpenAI to create a licensing deal that allows users to generate videos featuring more than 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar. This partnership could redefine how fans interact with their favorite characters.

The deal will let users stream short AI-generated videos directly on Disney+, and ChatGPT will also produce images of Disney’s licensed characters. However, the agreement excludes talent likenesses or voices, keeping human performances separate.

Set to launch in 2026, the collaboration also gives Disney warrants to purchase additional OpenAI equity and use AI tools for product development, opening doors to new creative opportunities.

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