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<p>“ Fly me to the moon<br>
Let me play among the stars<br>
Let me see what Spring is like <br>
On Jupiter and Mars,” sang Frank Sinatra </p>
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<p>
















British
billionaire Richard Branson, wants to do just that, fly people to space with
his Virgin Galactic company and he is getting closer to doing so by preparing
to list his company on the stock exchange.



</p>
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<p>Branson who formed Virgin Records, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Media as well as many other ventures will join forces with Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings  (SCHH)who will take a 49 % share in his space company for US$800 million.</p>
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<p>The investment company  SCHH is headed by an ex Facebook executive and is already listed on the New York Stock Exchange.</p>
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<p>It will fund Virgin Galactic until it becomes a profitable commercial venture. Branson expects the space tourism company to launch into profitability in 2021. <br> <br> <br> This new entity is expected to list later this year.<br> <br> </p>
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<p><br>
“By embarking on this new chapter at this advanced point in Virgin Galactic’s
development, we can open space to more investors and in so doing, open space to
thousands of new astronauts. We are at the dawn of a new space age with huge
potential to improve and sustain life on Earth,” said Branson.<br>
<br>
</p>
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<p><br>
The mercurial entrepreneur has already got 600 people to sign up for space
flights netting US$80 million in deposits.&nbsp; <br>
<br>
</p>
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<p><br>
To fly on Branson’s VSS Unity —&nbsp;a SpaceShip Two-class suborbital
rocket-powered plane, will set you back US$250,000. The spacecraft looks like a
tricked-out private jet or something you’d see in a sci-fi movie.<br>
<br>
</p>
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<p><br>
Branson has already sunk close to US$1 billion of his own money into this project
and is intent on being the first man to take tourists into space. <br>
<br>
</p>
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<p><br>
But he may have stiff competition there. Fellow billionaires Jeff Bezos and
Elon Musk are also planning space missions for tourists. All three men&nbsp;have
already completed test runs.<br>
<br>
Buzz Lightyear for real!<br>
<br>
Who do you think will be the first into space with commercial flights? Branson,
Bezos or Musk?<br>
<br>
Let us know at Buzz.</p>
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<p></p>
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