This combination of file pictures created on July 1, 2021 shows Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos (L) speaking on October 22, 2019 after receiving the 2019 International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Excellence in Industry Award during the the 70th International Astronautical Congress at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, and Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson speaking at an event to unveil the first commercial space wear in Yonkers, New York, on October 16, 2019. – British billionaire Richard Branson plans to travel to space as early as July 11 aboard a Virgin Galactic spacecraft, his company said in a statement on July 1, 2021. If the schedule holds, Branson would make it to the cosmos before rival billionaire Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder who said he would travel to space aboard a spacecraft belonging to his company Blue Origin on July 20. (Photos by MANDEL NGAN and Don EMMERT / AFP)