Bitcoins! In space!
Entrepreneur Richard Branson waves a model of the LauncherOne cargo spacecraft from a window of an actual size model of SpaceShipTwo on display.
Luke Macgregor / Reuters
Richard Branson has announced on his blog that Virgin Galactic customers can now choose to pay for their space flights using the virtual currency Bitcoin.
Branson described Bitcoin as the "world's most innovative businesses looking to the future" adding that a "future astronaut," a female flight attendant from Hawaii, has already used Bitcoins to pay for her first Virgin Galactic flight.
"I have invested in some bitcoins myself, and find it fascinating how a whole new global currency has been created. For people who can afford to invest a little in bitcoins, it's worth looking into. Many people and organisations are - today a Cyprus university is allowing students to pay their tuition fees with bitcoins."
Bransons said that "future astronauts" flying with Virgin Galactic "are pioneers in their own right, and this is one more way to be forward-thinking."
A Virgin Galactic space flight will cost $250,000, (roughly £150,000) or around 277 Bitcoins.
