Space flights from UAE in 3 years for Dh734,000: Richard Branson

Abu Dhabi will be at the forefront of space travel within the next three years with the launch of a space port in the UAE capital that will take thrill-seekers for a suborbital ride at a cost of $200,000 (Dh734,000 approx) per passenger.

Sir Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Galactic space-tourism company, who was in Dubai recently, told a gathering that Virgin Galactic's first commercial flight will be launched into space by the end of 2013 from a space port in New Mexico.

The company also has plans to launch a port in Abu Dhabi within two years of the first commercial flight into space, according to Wall Street Journal. 

Word about Galactic launching a port in the UAE capital has been doing the rounds ever since Aabar Investments purchased a 32 per cent stake in Virgin Galactic for $280 million in 2009.

Emirates 24|7 had reported in 2011 that Virgin Galactic, a space enterprise funded by Branson was interested in building a spaceport in Abu Dhabi. 

In fact, the commercial director of Virgin Galactic had told the website two years ago that six UAE residents had already booked a seat on Virgin’s spaceflight.

The British entrepreneur and his two children will be among the first passengers to space on the maiden flight. The entire programme has been delayed several times and the 62-year-old billionaire is definitely in a hurry to experience weightlessness in this lifetime.

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