Richard Branson has announced that you can now use bitcoin (an untraceable virtual currency not controlled by a central authority, like the Federal Reserve) to pay for a seat on a future Virgin Galactic flight. Branson, who invested in bitcoin early on, told CNBC that the first transaction was made by a flight attendant in Hawaii, who according to Branson, made "quite a lot of money getting into bitcoin early." Her virtual money was transferred into actual dollar currency at a fixed price (the cost of the flight in U.S. dollars is $250k), allowing her to get a refund if she decides not to go on the space flight.
Branson is expecting that the type of people who deal with this new currency will be the same type who will be interested in buying tickets for space travel, especially because there will be a limit to the bitcoins out there — unlike paper currency that is printed. So, if you're the type Branson is talking about, check out trading in some of your "internet money" for a space flight. Who knows? You may be able to weasel your way onto Lady Gaga's concert flight in 2015.
