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Party time: Champagne and celebrities mark Branson's space flight

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Lucie Aubourg, Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/07/12/richard.jpg"/><figcaption>Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson prepares to spray champagne after flying with a crew in Virgin Galactic&#x27;s passenger rocket plane VSS Unity to the edge of space at Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, U.S., July 11, 2021. <em>Joe Skipper, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>UNITED STATES - Champagne flowed, guests cheers and Grammy-nominated singer Khalid debuted a new single: British billionaire Richard Branson threw himself a party in the desert to mark his successful first flight into space.</p><p>The eccentric septuagenarian founder of Virgin Galactic arrived before dawn at Spaceport America, built in large part at his initiative, in the US state of New Mexico.</p><p>The sun rose on the building&#x27;s futuristic glass facade, located in a region that boasts 340 days of good weather per year.</p><p>A small crowd of invited guests, baking under the hot sun, cheered as the space crew climbed into a black SUV and headed for the rocket, which sat at the end of a 3.6 kilometer (2.2 miles) track. On board were Branson, two pilots and three other Virgin Galactic employees.</p><p>Also on hand, though unseen by the cameras, was SpaceX founder Elon Musk, another billionaire with galactic aspirations.</p><p>A TikTok star, a celebrity television presenter and a Canadian astronaut were among those poised, ready to commentate on the momentous event.</p><p>After the launch, the huge carrier plane climbed through the air for about 50 minutes. The guests took refuge under a white tent, eating passed hors d&#x27;oeuvres while children ran about.</p><p>But they soon rushed back out again to witness the main event: the spaceship released from the plane, igniting its engine for a supersonic ascent to shouts of joy from the Earth-bound watchers.</p><p>&quot;Welcome to space!&quot; the commentator announced a few minutes later, just before the ship began its descent.</p><p>Branson&#x27;s face filled the big screen, streamed in from the rocket: &quot;I was once a child with a dream, looking up to the stars. Now I&#x27;m an adult in a spaceship!&quot; he said to the crowd.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/07/09/21/space-final-frontier-billionaire-richard-branson">Space, the final frontier for billionaire Richard Branson</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/07/12/21/richard-branson-virgin-galactic-space">&#x27;Experience of a lifetime&#x27;: Billionaire Branson achieves space dream</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/07/11/21/virgin-galactics-branson-ready-for-space-launch-aboard-rocket-plane">Virgin Galactic&#x27;s Branson ready for space launch aboard rocket plane</a></li></ul><div><strong>Medals and free tickets </strong></div><p>As the ship came back to earth, Khalid took to the stage. Millions of listeners tuned in to hear him debut his newest song, &quot;New Normal&quot; -- a wink towards future space tourism.</p><p>Once the landing was complete and the rocket parked only a few meters from the stage, Branson arrived.</p><p>After hugging his family, he stepped up on the platform to give out medals shaped like wings to all the crew, symbolizing their new status as astronauts.</p><p>Branson then popped open the champagne, liberally spraying it over himself and his crewmates before drinking it straight from the bottle.</p><p>The consummate showman, he also unveiled a competition for space enthusiasts to win two free tickets on Virgin Galactic flights through the website Omaze -- and a personal guided tour of Spaceport America.</p><p>&quot;I promise lots of chocolate,&quot; he joked, comparing himself to Willy Wonka, the Roald Dahl character. &quot;We&#x27;re here to make (space) accessible to all.&quot;</p><div><strong>FROM OUR ARCHIVES: </strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1725179" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Champagne flowed, guests cheers and Grammy-nominated singer Khalid debuted a new single: British billionaire Richard Branson threw himself a party in the desert to mark his successful first flight into space.</p>

Champagne flowed, guests cheers and Grammy-nominated singer Khalid debuted a new single: British billionaire Richard Branson threw himself a party in the desert to mark his successful first flight into space.

Party time: Champagne and celebrities mark Branson's space flight

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Party time: Champagne and celebrities mark Branson's space flight

Lucie Aubourg,

Agence France-Presse

Published Jul 12, 2021 09:06 AM PHT

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