Virgin Galactic has acknowledged billionaire founder Sir Richard Branson did not ride a bicycle to the launch site of his space flight, as depicted in the company's webcast of the event on Sunday.
The video clip showed Sir Richard, 70, riding his bike toward New Mexico's state-owned Spaceport America near the town of Truth or Consequences, flanked by two SUVs, and handing his safety helmet to an assistant upon arrival.
He is then seen greeting crewmates dressed in their flight suits with a hug, with one of them, Beth Moses, the company's chief astronaut instructor, telling him: "You're late, hurry up."
A Virgin Galactic official, speaking anonymously, affirmed to Reuters by text that the video in question was filmed on July 5, the Monday before the flight, and that Sir Richard did not ride his bike at all on the day of the launch.
"The footage of Sir Richard Branson shown during the event Sunday was prerecorded and misidentified in the broadcast," they said.
"We regret the error and any confusion it may have caused."
It was unclear whether the disclosure would complicate Virgin Galactic's cross-promotional deal with Wisconsin-based Trek Bicycle Corp.
Trek had claimed that Sir Richard rode one of its custom-made bikes to the spaceport on launch day.
Representatives of Trek were not immediately available to comment on the matter.
Sir Richard has touted his rocket plane ride, the company's first fully crewed test flight of the vehicle to space, as a precursor to a new era of astro-tourism, with the company he founded poised to begin commercial operations next year.
The purported Sunday bike ride seemed to typify his public persona as the adventuresome business executive whose Virgin brands — from airlines to music companies — have been associated with ocean-crossing exploits in sailboats and hot-air balloons.
The bicycle video clip was posted to Sir Richard's Twitter feed shortly before Sunday's launch.
Virgin also broadcast the clip, with the tagline "earlier today," during its livestream presentation.
Sir Richard then mentioned the bike ride from the stage of a post-flight celebration back at the spaceport, telling a crowd of supporters: "It's so awesome to arrive on a bicycle, across this beautiful New Mexico countryside."
Reuters
