Tag: sir richard branson
Tech Digest daily roundup: WhatsApp announces voice message improvements
WhatsApp announced on Wednesday that it will roll out some improvements to voice messages over the coming weeks, including the ability to listen to a message while reading other chats and play messages at 1.5 or 2 times speed (yes, please, put this feature everywhere). The experience of recording messages is also improving. WhatsApp now lets you pause…
Sir Richard Branson becomes first billionaire in space
Sir Richard Branson has reached space, according to his company, Virgin Galactic. After releasing from the mothership - at approximately 4.25pm UK time - the VSS Unity spaceplane quickly reached its maximum altitude at 55 miles (88km) which is below the Karman Line, internationally recognised as the edge of space. The British billionaire took the…
Virgin Galactic unveils mirrored space craft, VSS Imagine
Virgin Galactic has unveiled its third-generation spacecraft, the VSS Imagine. Finished in an entirely mirror-like material, the craft is designed to reflect the surrounding environment, allowing it to change colour and appearance as it travels from Earth to space. Virgin Galactic said the third generation of spaceships was “built to enable improved performance in terms…
Virgin Hyperloop transports passengers across desert
Virgin Hyperloop, the high-speed transport company backed by Sir Richard Branson, has carried its first human passengers across the Nevada desert in a world first. Instead of running on rails, the pods use magnetic levitation to "float" in near-vacuum tubes. After more than 400 unmanned tests, Sunday's trial was the first to carry human passengers. In…
Twitter co-founder Biz Stone invests in AI project
Twitter co-founder Biz Stone has spoken about his decision to invest in artificial intelligence as part of a project which aims to create “a new type of media”. Mr Stone was joined by AI Foundation co-founder and chief executive Lars Buttler at the One Young World conference to introduce the concept of “personal media”. The…
Virgin Galactic commercial spaceport is operational
Virgin Galactic has said the world’s first specifically designed commercial spaceport is “operationally functional”. The company, owned by billionaire businessman Sir Richard Branson, announced the transfer of all its spaceflight operations to Spaceport America in New Mexico on Thursday. Virgin Galactic had been carrying out test flights from Mojave, California – including the first successful…
Virgin Orbit hails test of air-launched satellite booster
Virgin Galactic’s sister company Virgin Orbit has conducted a drop test of its air-launched satellite booster over California in a key step towards space missions. The 70ft LauncherOne rocket was released from a Boeing 747 flying 35,000 feet over an Edwards Air Force Base test range in the Mojave Desert. The purpose of the test…
Virgin Galactic rocket plane could reach ‘space altitudes’ during next test
An artist’s impression of the Virgin SpaceShipTwo (Virgin Galactic/PA) Virgin Galactic said its space tourism rocket plane could reach “space altitudes” for the first time as early as Thursday. The company said its SpaceShipTwo, VSS Unity, has entered the next stage of testing which will “expand the envelope for altitude,…
Enchantment under the sea: Richard Branson launches Virgin Oceanic deep-sea explorer
Jules Verne would be proud of Richard Branson's latest venture: the Virgin Oceanic submarine. The project aims to explore "the last frontiers of our own Blue Planet: the very bottom of our seas". Google is even involved with its…
