Virgin Galactic opens ticket sales to the general public

Planning a vacation this year? How about something a little more weightless?

Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company founded by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, announced Tuesday that it will begin selling tickets this week for joyrides to the edge of space. The cost: a whopping $450,000.

Click here to read the story at nbcnews.com.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is space tourism?
2. Who is Virgin Galactic?
3. What is entrepreneurship?
4. What is innovation?
5. Who is Richard Branson?
6. Why is leadership important in business?
7. How do you think Richard Branson’s leadership could impact the potential success of Virgin Galactic in the future?
8. How might the concept of space tourism represent an example of innovation and entrepreneurship?
9. What is competition?
10. What is the difference between direct and indirect competition?
11. Who might represent Virgin Galactic’s competition?
12. What is pricing?
13. How do you think Virgin Galactic determined the price point for the initial trips to space?
14. Do you think trips to space might eventually come down in price? Why or why not?
15. In your opinion, will space travel become a successful business model in the long term? Why or why not?