Billionaire Blastoff: Rich riding own rockets into space

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Two billionaires are putting everything on the line to ride their own rockets into space. It’s intended to be a flashy confidence boost for customers seeking their own short joyrides. The lucrative, high-stakes chase for space tourists will unfold on the fringes of space, beginning this weekend with Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson. He’s due to take off Sunday from New Mexico, launching with two pilots and three other company employees aboard an air-launched rocket plane. Blue Origin’s Jeff Bezos departs nine days later from West Texas. He’ll blast off in an automated capsule with three guests including a 82-year-old female aviation pioneer.