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Rather than dismissing billionaires’ space adventures, we should celebrate their risk-taking endeavors and be inspired to take risks in our lives.Billionaires Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos both rocked to the edge of space and safely landed back on Earth this month. Another billionaire, Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX and Tesla, plans to make a similar trip.Many here on Earth dismissed these billionaire entrepreneurs’ space travel and competition as a waste of time, money, and other valuable resources, which could be better spent solving earthly problems such as hunger and poverty. Critics shrug off such space travel as billionaires one-upping each...

"The excursion will be livestreamed by Blue Origin starting at 7:30 a.m. ET." If he comes back and only says, "IT'S FLAT!," and then walks away, it would be the single greatest troll of all time.

So, tomorrow at 9:00am EDT, the Blue Origin New Sheppard is planned to launch into the West Texas skies, carrying its first human passengers to the edge of space. The question is: will the world's richest man, Jeff Besos, pull off this stunt as fellow billionaire Sir Richard Branson did a few days ago? He's supposed to go higher than Branson did, not to mention that he'll be accompanied by both the world's oldest (82) and youngest (18) people to go into space.

MOSCOW. July 16 (Interfax) - The Russian government has approved talks between NPO Energomash and America's Orbital Sciences LLC on a contract for the use of the RD181M engine in the Antares launch vehicle, under a directive published on the official website for legal information. "To accept a proposal by the Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities, which was agreed with concerned federal executive authorities, on conducting negotiation between the joint-stock company NPO Energomash named after Academic V.P. Glushko and Orbital Sciences LLC (United States of America) on the conclusion of a contract for the use of the RD181M liquid-propellant...

Thrill-seeking billionaire Richard Branson has reached space aboard his own winged rocket ship in his boldest adventure yet. The feat vaults the nearly 71-year-old Branson past fellow billionaire and rival Jeff Bezos, who is planning to fly to space in a craft of his own nine days from now. With about 500 people watching, including Branson’s wife, children and grandchildren, a twin-fuselage aircraft with his space plane attached underneath took off in the first stage of the flight. Aboard were Branson and five crewmates from his Virgin Galactic space-tourism company.

Several of the richest U.S. corporate executives have either paid a fraction of their cumulative wealth in federal taxes of nothing at all, according to a new report from the nonprofit media outlet ProPublica.What Happened: In its coverage, ProPublica said "America's billionaires avail themselves of tax-avoidance strategies beyond the reach of ordinary people. Their wealth derives from the skyrocketing value of their assets, like stock and property. Those gains are not defined by U.S. laws as taxable income unless and until the billionaires sell."However, ProPublica did not offer evidence that the executives being spotlighted were violating the U.S. tax code.The...

Jeff Bezos announced on Monday that he and his brother will join the first crewed spaceflight from his private rocket company on July 20 — just 15 days after he is set to step down as chief executive of Amazon. "Ever since I was five years old, I’ve dreamed of traveling to space," he wrote in an Instagram post. "On July 20th, I will take that journey with my brother. The greatest adventure, with my best friend." In May, the Amazon founder's rocket company, Blue Origin, announced that its first flight aboard its New Shepard rocket, designed to carry up...

Bernie Sanders wants to stop NASA funding for Blue Origin.Just recently we learned about the Blue Origin lawsuit for NASA and wanted NASA to stop supporting SpaceX and finance itself, but yesterday US congressman Bernie Sanders who is known as the person who hates billionaires has expressed his opinion. wish NASA to terminate the contract with Blue Origin, that would mean the race to the moon as the only SpaceX, Bernie Sanders implicitly support SpaceX and Elon Musk true or not?However, the way Cantwell's amendment was written would likely have slowed down NASA and its return to the Moon. Were...

paceX launches Starship SN15 rocket and sticks the landing in high-altitude test flight By Mike Wall 8 minutes ago "Landing nominal," Elon Musk says. Click here for more Space.com videos... SpaceX's SN15 stuck the landing. The private spaceflight company's latest Starship prototype aced a high-altitude test flight today (May 5), checking every box from takeoff to touchdown for the first time. "We are down! The Starship has landed," John Insprucker, SpaceX's principal integration engineer, said during live commentary. Today's uncrewed test came on the 60th anniversary of the United States' first-ever crewed spaceflight, the suborbital jaunt of NASA astronaut Alan...

The Biden administration on Saturday appointed Vice President Kamala Harris to chair the National Space Council, according to senior administration officials. Harris confirmed her new position on Twitter, writing: "As I've said before: In America, when we shoot for the moon, we plant our flag on it. I am honored to lead our National Space Council." According to an official, Kamala intends to put her own personal stamp on the council. Her priorities are focused on policies including the advancement of STEM education, cybersecurity, supporting the long-term sustainability of commercial space activity, and diversity in the workforce, CNN reported. The...

NASA has suspended work on SpaceX’s new $2.9 billion lunar lander contract while a federal watchdog agency adjudicates two protests over the award, the agency said Friday... Elon Musk's SpaceX was picked by NASA on April 16th to build the agency's first human lunar lander since the Apollo program, as the agency opted to rely on just one company for a high-profile contract that many in the space industry expected to go to two companies... SpaceX’s private Starship development will likely continue.A digital illustration of SpaceX's Starship lunar lander sitting on the Moon's surface, as proposed to NASA under its...

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, the Senate’s fourth most senior member, has told confidantes that he does not intend to run for reelection next year — prompting some Republicans to urge the powerful, establishment politician to reconsider, even as potential replacements prepare to run for his seat. The senator in recent weeks told one close Alabama ally that he was not planning on running in 2022 for what would be his seventh term, according to the ally, who was not authorized to discuss the matter and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of...

“I intend to focus my energies and attention on new products and early initiatives. Andy is well known inside the company and has been at Amazon almost as long as I have,” Bezos said. “He will be an outstanding leader, and he has my full confidence.” The announcement comes just 90 minutes before Amazon reports what is expected to be a blowout holiday quarter earning report. “As much as I still tap dance into the office, I’m excited about this transition,” Bezos said, adding that he will focus on “the Day 1 Fund, the Bezos Earth Fund, Blue Origin, The...

Time to reconnect with customers

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has once again sounded the alarm on the environment, reportedly telling an audience in San Diego that all heavy industrial activity must be moved to space to save Earth. Bezos appeared at the San Diego Air & Space Museum on Saturday to be inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame for his work on Blue Origin, the space flight company he founded in 2000. The Times of San Diego reported that Bezos addressed a crowd of about 600 invitees at the private event. “I believe that, one day, Earth will be zoned residential...

The idea is surprisingly old school. This company wants to modernize it. Launching into space is more popular than ever. But the big companies often come with big price tags. That allows for smaller competitors to try and break into smaller markets. Leo Aerospace wants to launch microsatellites from a surprising place: hot air balloons. Sending balloons close to the atmosphere has some history in the military, but reusability is a big challenge for the group. So is funding. The second space race is in full effect. And while well-heeled organizations like SpaceX and Blue Origin often hog the headlines,...

Billionaire entrepreneur Jeff Bezos, the founder of rocket company Blue Origin, will unveil plans on Thursday for missions to the moon tailored to the U.S. government’s renewed push to establish a lunar outpost in just five years, people familiar with the matter said. Bezos, the world’s richest man and also chief executive and founder of Amazon.com, is scheduled to host a rare media event at 4 p.m. EDT (2000 GMT) in Washington to provide “an update on our progress and share our vision of going to space to benefit Earth,” Blue Origin said in an advisory. Blue Origin spokeswoman Caitlin...

Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital vehicle will launch on its 11th test flight this morning (May 2), and you can watch the spaceflight action live. The reusable rocket-capsule combo is scheduled to lift off from Blue Origin's West Texas testing ground at 9:30 a.m. EDT (1330 GMT; 8:30 a.m. local Texas time). The uncrewed flight will carry 38 microgravity research payloads to suborbital space and back, company representatives announced via Twitter Wednesday You can watch live here at Space.com, courtesy of Blue Origin, or directly via the company's website. New Shepard is designed to carry paying customers, offering them great...

In a decade, high speed travel via outer space will represent an annual market of at least $20 billion and compete with long-distance airline flights, UBS says. UBS expects the broader space industry, which is worth about $400 billion today, will double to $805 billion by 2030. Long haul airplane flights that are more than 10 hours in duration would "be cannibalized" by point-to-point flights on rockets, UBS said. UBS believes there will be very lucrative ramifications from the space flight efforts currently led by Virgin Galactic, SpaceX and Blue Origin. A lengthy UBS report published on Sunday found...

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Gov. Ron DeSantis sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Tuesday requesting that the United States Space Command (USSPACECOM) be headquartered in Florida. “Today, I submitted a request to President Trump formally asking him to headquarter United States Space Command in Florida,” said Governor DeSantis. “As the world’s premier gateway to space, Florida has been the departure point for more cargo and humans to space than any other place in the world, so I believe our state is the logical choice to base this new command. In addition to my request to the President, I...