Virgin Galactic just successfully sent founder Richard Branson to the edge of space and back, and now the company is offering a chance for you to take the trip in the company’s spaceplane as well. After Sunday’s flight, Branson announced that Virgin Galactic had partnered with fundraising platform Omaze to open a sweepstakes that will send the winner and a friend on a spaceflight.
The winner will take a trip on the VSS Unity spaceplane, the same plane Branson traveled on. You’ll also get a tour of Spaceport America in New Mexico from Branson himself, “with my Willa Wonka hat on,” Branson said. (“And I promise lots of chocolate in the factory,” he joked.)
The sweepstakes is also a fundraiser for the nonprofit Space for Humanity, and the more you donate, the more entries you get (though the fine print says that the maximum amount of entries for one person is 6,000). You can also submit an entry without donating if you choose.
The sweepstakes closes on September 1st at 2:59AM ET, and the winner will be announced “around” September 29th, according to the website. Among other restrictions, you must be 18 years or older to enter, and the winner and their guest will have to prove that they’re vaccinated against COVID-19 to be eligible to win the sweepstakes.
The “experience” is estimated to take place in early 2022.
