Space Credits

So this is pretty cool. Richard Branson, successful entrepreneur and adventurer, has started a space company. Yes, you read the right. the guy who created Virgin Mobile and Virgin Airways (both sold), now owns a space company called Virgin Galactic. It's being called the "Tesla of the space industry".

While looking into this, I wanted to make sure this wasn't a gimmick. The company's mission states they want to provide an unparalleled customer experience while using space for good. they also mention their sister companies: Spaceship Company and Virgin Orbit. Virgin Galactic appears to be a commercial airlines for space. The ships they use, the SpaceShipTwo, is a reusable craft built by their Spaceship company.

"We will be running a regular schedule of spaceflights for private individuals and researchers..." - Virgin Galactic

If this is their demographic, it appears the average guy will be paying for researchers to go via tax money towards grants. Also means the ultra rich will have another method to look down upon the rest of us financially challenged individuals. Typical. Capitalism has reached outer-space. Guess it was only a matter of time. I know it may be a bit harsh on the company since they do offer rides for researchers. I just have a hard time believing the sincerity of the gesture when the crafts do not look like they offer enough space to house an actual research lab(s). Or maybe they are positioning themselves to be the taxi to the space station for astronauts? Then you're the Lyft to SpaceX's Uber to the stars. Great. Just what NASA needed, another app to download.

What do you guys think of Virgin Galactic? Cash Grab or Space Pioneers?