First Published: November 8, 2013 9:41 AM EST Credit: Getty Images
Caption Richard Branson, poses for photographers with a model of the LauncherOne rocket, from the window of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, on the third day of the Farnborough International Air Show in Farnborough, U.K., on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- NBC has won the television space race.
The network announced Friday it has signed a deal with Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic to televise the company’s first commercial space flight. Branson and his two adult children, Holly and Sam, will be the first private passengers to travel into space next year through his company. The launch will be part of a three-hour special “Today” show.
“Virgin Galactic is thrilled that NBCUniversal will join us on our exciting first journey to space,” said Sir Richard said on Friday. “In this first chapter of commercial space travel, we will help make space accessible and inspire countless more people to join us in the pursuit of space exploration and science innovation.”
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NBC’s Peacock Productions unit also will offer programming leading up to the flight across the company’s other outlets, including CNBC, MSNBC, SyFy and The Weather Channel.
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo will leave from the company’s terminal in New Mexico.
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