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Virgin Galactic Taking Humans to Space by Christmas, Says Founder Richard Branson

Nov. 30, 2018
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3 min read
Virgin Galactic VSS Unity Test Flight
Virgin Galactic Taking Humans to Space by Christmas, Says Founder Richard Branson
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Sir Richard Branson already affirmed to TPG that he plans on heading to space himself in 2019. (Which, if you haven't heard the two chat all things travel on the our Talking Points podcast, now's a great time to listen!) What happens prior to Virgin Galactic's founder heading to the next frontier? Other people heading to the next frontier.

Branson recently asserted that he was "pretty confident" that his space tourism outfit would send its first humans into space before the end of 2018. The first few trips via the recently rebuilt SpaceShipTwo (renamed VSS Unity) will be flown by pilots who have trained specifically for these missions. Those, according to Branson, are "the dangerous ones." Indeed, the road to now has been a challenging one, as SpaceShipTwo killed co-pilot Michael Alsbury in October 2014.

After a handful of those go well, it'll be Branson's turn to head up, after which 750 waitlisted civilians will have their day in (or should we say near) the sun. Per CNN Business, the space plane will reach 2,300 miles per hour "in about eight seconds," with a goal to take humans 50 miles above Earth — that's enough to "earn passengers astronaut wings from the US government."

If this all pans out, Virgin Galactic will beat Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin and Elon Musk's SpaceX to the punch, but Branson's quick to point out this isn't a race to a finish line. "Safety's all that matters if you're putting people into space. So none of us will race to be the first."

Sir Richard Branson with Virgin Galactic Team (Photo courtesy of Virgin Galactic).

It's worth pointing out that Branson has been teasing the world with launch dates for what feels like eons. With 750 people on a waiting list to shell out nearly a quarter of a million dollars for a brief trip to space, the company has frozen additional sign-ups until flights commence. The founder initially hoped that these commercial flights to space would start more than a decade ago, but as he rightly asserts: "Space is difficult. Rocket science is rocket science."

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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.