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Thomas Moynihan

Thomas Moynihan is a research associate in history at Oxford University, and the author of X-Risk: How Humanity Discovered It’s Own Extinction

July 2021

  • US-SPACE-TOURISM-BEZOS-BRANSON<br>British billionaire Richard Branson waves as he arrives at Spaceport America, near Truth and Consequences, New Mexico on July 11, 2021 before travel to the cosmos. - He’s always dreamed of it, and in 2004 founded his own company to make it happen. On July 11, 2021, billionaire Richard Branson will take off from a base in New Mexico aboard a Virgin Galactic vessel bound for the edge of space. The Briton is hoping to finally get the nascent space tourism industry off the ground -- but also go one up on Jeff Bezos by winning the race to be the first person to cross the final frontier in a ship built by their own company.The Amazon founder’s great rival, SpaceX boss Elon Musk, announced on Twitter he’d be there to witness it. (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

    Why are billionaires obsessed with going to space?

    Thomas Moynihan
    If civilisation perishes on planet Earth, Musk, Bezos and Branson seem to think humans have a backup elsewhere, says author Thomas Moynihan
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