Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic Voyage Begins Space Tourism

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Space tourism is trying to take off.

Richard Branson’s planned trip to the edge of space on Sunday brings the budding industry closer to reality — although it may be years before most travelers can afford it.

Mr. Branson and five other people will travel aboard Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc. The spacecraft that will take them more than 50 miles above Earth. The flight marks Virgin Galactic’s first flight with what the company describes as a full crew, which will include the billionaire businessman, three company executives and two pilots who will pilot the spacecraft.

The high-profile flight is the latest test of its technology and the first since the Federal Aviation Administration granted it permission last month to carry propelled passengers into space, the company said. Virgin Galactic said it expects to start operating such flights next year. For now, Sunday’s flight is another potential watershed for the space tourism industry that will need to lure wealthy passengers as it ramps up.

The human journey into space, which has long been a province of government agencies with scientific and policy goals, is attracting new interest from investors and companies who see new opportunities to create a space tourism industry that has long been elusive for commercial enterprises. Billionaires like Mr. Branson, the founder of Amazon.com Inc. Jeff Bezos, CEO of Tesla Inc. , Elon Musk et al. maintains that the demand exists to create a completely new business and experience.

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