Billionaire space race: How Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson's duelling rockets measure up 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 â 88km to 106km up, pitting Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson against the world's richest man, Blue Origin's Jeff Bezos. READ MORE: Jeff Bezos (left) and Richard Branson are head-to-head in a billionaire space race.(AP) Mr Branson is due to take off Sunday from New Mexico, launching with two pilots and three other employees aboard a rocket plane carried aloft by a double-fuselage aircraft.