Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Feb 19, 2026

Virgin Galactic giving away two free seats on 2022 spaceflight

Virgin Galactic giving away two free seats on 2022 spaceflight

Submissions for the sweepstakes will close on Sept. 1, with winners expected to be announced around Sept. 29.

Following Sunday's successful Unity 22 mission, Virgin Galactic is giving away two free seats on the aerospace company's first commercial suborbital spaceflight slated for 2022.

The giveaway, in partnership with charity fundraiser Omaze, will allow the winners to experience microgravity at the edge of space aboard Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity.


"Until now, most people could only dream of venturing beyond Earth. Now, we are incredibly excited to team up with Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic, and Space for Humanity to give two everyday citizens a chance of going to space, Omaze co-founder and CEO Matt Pohlson said in a statement. "Omaze was founded on democratizing access to out-of-reach experiences. It's an honor to advance this ideal to space travel while partnering with an organization dedicated to democratizing space for the better of all humankind."

Interested individuals can make a charitable donation on Omaze between now and August 31. The proceeds will be given to Space for Humanity, a non-profit which aims to "expand access to space, train our leaders of tomorrow and contribute to a culture of interconnectedness."

"We are so incredibly grateful to Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic for giving us the opportunity to be the charity of choice in this revolutionary initiative," Space for Humanity Executive Director Rachel Lyons said. "This is a historic moment for life on this planet. We now have the opportunity to share this perspective for the common good. It is my hope that by democratizing access to space, we will collectively renew our relationship with our planet, and each other, allowing for a prosperous future on and off the planet."

Submissions for the sweepstakes will close on Sept. 1, with winners expected to be announced around Sept. 29.

In addition to the seats, winners will be given an all-expenses-paid trip to New Mexico and a tour of Spaceport America by Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson.

"I was honoured to test the incredible customer experience onboard Virgin Galatic's spaceship VSS Unity as part of this remarkable crew of mission specialists - and now astronauts," Branson said in a statement. "How you feel when you look down on Earth is impossible to put into words, it’s just indescribable beauty. I can’t wait for you all to get up there."


Following the historic flight, Branson said he can "see even more clearly how Virgin Galactic is the spaceline for Earth."

"We are here to make space more accessible to all and turn the next generation of dreamers into the astronauts of today and tomorrow," he added. "Imagine a world where people of all ages and backgrounds, from anywhere, of any gender, of any ethnicity have equal access to space. They will in turn, inspire us all back here on Earth. If you’ve ever had a dream, now is the time to make it come true. Welcome to the dawn of a new space age."

Virgin Galactic's successful trip comes nine days ahead of competitor Blue Origin's first crewed spaceflight, which is scheduled to lift off on July 20. Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos will climb aboard the company's New Shepard rocket along with his brother Mark, 82-year-old female aerospace pioneer Mary Wallace Funk, and a mystery auction winner who paid $28 million. New Shepard will fly above the Kármán Line, an imaginary boundary between Earth's atmosphere and outer space.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Prince William Holds Talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman During Saudi Visit
Saudi Arabia’s Humain Commits $3 Billion Investment to Elon Musk’s xAI
SCOPA Executive Unveils Ambitious Relaunch Strategy for Saudi Production Company
Saudi Arabia Sees Rise in Business Visa Rejections Amid Tighter Compliance Checks
Saudi PIF Transfers Take-Two Stake to Savvy Games Group in Strategic Gaming Push
Jimmy Carr Says He ‘Loved’ Saudi Arabia Show Amid Debate Over Performing in the Kingdom
Sotheby’s ‘Origins II’ Auction Signals Saudi Collectors’ Shift Toward Cultural Legacy
EY and Microsoft Deepen Saudi Arabia Partnership with Launch of EY Studio+
Google Pay Launches Support for Mastercard Cards in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia Bolsters Maritime Surveillance Fleet with Four C-27J Patrol Aircraft
Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia Deepen Strategic Partnership with New Investment and Energy Agreements
Saudi Crown Prince Receives Written Message from Kazakhstan’s President Amid Expanding Strategic Ties
ImmunityBio Shares Rise After Saudi Arabia BCG Manufacturing Update Spurs Investor Optimism
Global Music Star Tyla Confirmed as Headliner at 2026 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Entertainment Lineup
Somalia and Saudi Arabia Forge New Military Partnership Amid Regional Power Shifts
Saudi Arabia and Several Nations Criticize Israeli West Bank Land Measures as Diplomatic Tensions Rise
Saudi Public Investment Fund Transfers Stake in Take-Two Interactive as Portfolio Strategy Evolves
Saudi Arabia’s Flagship Defense Expo Highlights Industrial Ambitions and Expanding Arms Portfolio
Strategic Divergence Deepens as Saudi Arabia and UAE Recalibrate Gulf Partnership
Saudi Arabia Confirms Start of Ramadan as Crescent Moon Sighted, While Other Nations Begin a Day Later
Rubio Calls for Sweeping U.N. Reform, Saying It Has Failed to End Wars in Gaza and Ukraine
10,000 Condoms Distributed at Winter Olympics 2026 Athlete Village Depleted Within 72 Hours
Prince William Meets Saudi Crown Prince as Epstein-Andrew Fallout Casts Shadow
Goldman Sachs and DP World Executive Resignations: Elite-Reputation Risk and Corporate Governance Fallout From the Epstein Disclosures
OpenAI and DeepCent Superintelligence Race: Artificial General Intelligence and AI Agents as a National Security Arms Race
Prince William in Saudi Arabia on Official Three-Day Visit to Strengthen UK-Saudi Relations
Prince William Highlights Women’s Sport During High-Profile Visit to Saudi Arabia
Prince William Begins High-Profile Diplomatic Mission to Saudi Arabia
Syria and Saudi Arabia Seal Multibillion-Dollar Investment Agreements to Drive Post-War Economic Reconstruction
Apple iPhone Lockdown Mode blocks FBI data access in journalist device seizure
Foreign Governments and Corporations Spend Millions with Trump-Linked Lobbying Firm in Washington
KPMG Urges Auditor to Relay AI Cost Savings
Saudi Arabia Quietly Allows Wealthy Foreign Residents to Buy Alcohol, Signalling Policy Shift
US and Iran to Begin Nuclear Talks in Oman
China unveils plans for a 'Death Star' capable of launching missile strikes from space
Investigation Launched at Winter Olympics Over Ski Jumpers Injecting Hyaluronic Acid
U.S. State Department Issues Urgent Travel Warning for Citizens to Leave Iran Immediately
Wall Street Erases All Gains of 2026; Bitcoin Plummets 14% to $63,000
Eighty-one-year-old man in the United States fatally shoots Uber driver after scam threat
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Begins Strategic Gulf Tour with Saudi Arabia Visit
Dubai Awards Tunnel Contract for Dubai Loop as Boring Company Plans Pilot Network
Five Key Takeaways From President Erdoğan’s Strategic Visit to Saudi Arabia
AI Invented “Hot Springs” — Tourists Arrived and Were Shocked
Erdoğan’s Saudi Arabia Visit Focuses on Trade, Investment and Strategic Cooperation
Germany and Saudi Arabia Move to Deepen Energy Cooperation Amid Global Transition
Saudi Aviation Records Historic Passenger Traffic in 2025 and Sets Sights on Further Growth in 2026
Tech Market Shifts and AI Investment Surge Drive Global Innovation and Layoffs
Global Shifts in War, Trade, Energy and Security Mark Major International Developments
Tesla Ends Model S and X Production and Sends $2 Billion to xAI as 2025 Revenue Declines
The AI Hiring Doom Loop — Algorithmic Recruiting Filters Out Top Talent and Rewards Average or Fake Candidates
×