Richard Branson Defends Space Travel Written 5 May 2023
In this July 11, 2012, photo, British billionaire Richard Branson holds a model of LauncherOne. | Associated Press–©
CNBC reports that Richard Branson spoke to the BBC in an interview and expressed his optimism for space travel, saying that it is “incredibly important” for the Earth. However, many are pushing back against the environmental implications of the growth of rocket launches for space tourism, with a study by the NOAA in June 2022 suggesting “that a significant boost in spaceflight activity may damage the protective ozone layer on the one planet where we live.” Branson answered that criticism by saying, “What Virgin and our principal competitors have managed to do is bring the environmental costs of space travel down dramatically, in terms of carbon cost.” He added that these costs would “come down even further.”
Full Story (CNBC)