Virgin Galactic to accept Bitcoin for space trips

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Richard Branson has announced that Virgin Galactic, the space travel arm of his company, will accept the virtual currency Bitcoin as payment.

One future astronaut has already purchased her ticket using Bitcoin, Branson revealed in a blog post. He also called the currency “one of the world’s most innovative businesses looking to the future” and says he has invested in a few Bitcoins himself.

Bitcoins in space

A single Bitcoin, at the time of writing worth about US$900, would have cost you just US$10 a couple of years ago – so you can see why the currency is getting people excited. And given the high price of Virgin Galactic space flights – US$250,000 (around £155,000) apiece – early investors in Bitcoin may have found one of the cheapest ways to leave Earth’s atmosphere.

The first commercial Virgin Galactic flight is planned for next year, and Branson will be on board with his children Sam and Holly. The event will be broadcast live in the US.

[Virgin.com via The Verge]

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Tech journalism's answer to The Littlest Hobo, I've written for a host of titles and lived in three different countries in my 15 years-plus as a freelancer. But I've always come back home to Stuff eventually, where I specialise in writing about cameras, streaming services and being tragically addicted to Destiny.