Amazon's Jeff Bezos Flies Into Space; 'Well Done,' Says Richard Branson

Jeff Bezos’ spaceflight comes days after billionaire Richard Branson successfully ventured into space.

Blue Origins New Shepard rocket launches carrying passengers Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and space tourism company Blue Origin, brother Mark Bezos, Oliver Daemen and Wally Funk, from its spaceport near Van Horn, Texas, Tuesday, 20 July.

(Photo: PTI)

Amazon founder and executive chairperson Jeff Bezos, the richest person in the world, flew into space on Tuesday, 20 July, on board the New Shepard spacecraft, made by Blue Origin, of which he is also the founder.

Three others accompanied Bezos in the spacecraft. The flight went past what is accepted as the boundary between Earth and space, at an altitude of 100 kilometres, before landing back safely.

The lift-off took place at Van Horn in Texas, US, around 8:12 am local time.

Richard Branson Reacts

This comes days after billionaire Richard Branson returned to Spaceport America in New Mexico after successfully venturing into space on his Virgin Galactic vessel.

The galactic vessel, which had reached a height of 86 km over the New Mexico desert, enabled the passengers to view the curvature of the Earth and experience a few minutes of weightlessness.

Branson took to Twitter to congratulate Bezos following the latter's venture on Tuesday.