Billionaire Branson set to fly to space aboard Virgin Galactic rocket plane


FILE PHOTO Sir Richard Branson stands on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange NYSE ahead of Virgin Galactic SPCE trading in New York U.S. October 28 2019. REUTERSBrendan McDermid

FILE PHOTO: Sir Richard Branson stands on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) ahead of Virgin Galactic (SPCE) trading in New York, U.S., October 28, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

(Reuters) - Decades after burnishing his reputation as a wealthy daredevil mogul in a series of boating and hot-air balloon expeditions, Richard Branson is poised to promote his burgeoning astro-tourism venture by launching himself to the final frontier.

Branson's Virgin Galactic Holding Inc is due on Sunday to send the company's passenger rocket plane, the VSS Unity, on its first fully crewed test flight to the edge of space, with the British billionaire founder among the six individuals strapping in for the ride.

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