14 DAY TRIAL // Sir Richard Branson, the founder of private suborbital spaceflight company Virgin Galactic, announces in a blog post that people interested in going to the edge of space aboard the SpaceShipTwo / WhiteKnightTwo combo can pay for the $250,000 (184,500 euro) ticket in Bitcoins.
This is a virtual currency that a Senate hearing recently deemed to be a legitimate financial service. Less than two years ago, a single virtual coin was worth around $10 (7.38 euro). At this point, each Bitcoin is worth $900 (664 euros). At this level, only 278 Bitcoins are needed for a trip to space.
Virgin Galactic is currently testing its SpaceShipTwo spacecraft, a vehicle that will be able to take 2 pilots and 6 paying passengers to suborbital altitudes, near the edge of space. The first commercial flight is scheduled to occur in late 2014.
“I have invested in some bitcoins myself, and find it fascinating how a whole new global currency has been created. For people who can afford to invest a little in bitcoins, it’s worth looking into,” Branson says.