Richard Branson is set to become the first person to ride his own rocket to space, a major milestone in the commercial space industry. Through his company Virgin Galactic, Branson has been working towards the goal of making space tourism accessible to the public. Here's an explainer of how Branson plans to ride his own rocket to space:

1. The Spacecraft: Branson will travel in Virgin Galactic's spaceplane, called VSS Unity. VSS Unity is a suborbital vehicle that can carry up to six passengers and two pilots. It is designed to take off horizontally from a runway and then use a rocket engine to climb to the edge of space.

2. The Rocket Plane: The VSS Unity is carried to an altitude of about 50,000 feet by the WhiteKnightTwo, a carrier aircraft. Once at this altitude, VSS Unity is released and its rocket engine ignites. The rocket engine burns for several minutes, propelling the spacecraft towards the edge of space.

3. Weightlessness: As VSS Unity reaches its peak altitude, approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) above the Earth, the passengers and pilots experience a few minutes of weightlessness. During this time, they are able to float freely in the cabin and observe the curvature of the Earth.

4. Reentry: After reaching its peak altitude, VSS Unity begins its descent back to Earth. The spacecraft's wings and aerodynamic surfaces are used to control its descent. VSS Unity eventually glides back to Earth and lands smoothly on a runway.

5. Safety Features: Virgin Galactic has incorporated several safety features into VSS Unity to ensure the safety of its passengers and crew. These include redundancies in critical systems, emergency escape options, and a variety of sensors and monitoring devices.

6. Spacesuits: Passengers and pilots wear specially designed spacesuits during the flight. The spacesuits provide pressurization, temperature regulation, and protection against potential hazards such as radiation and changes in atmospheric pressure.

7. Pilot Experience: The pilots flying VSS Unity are highly experienced and well-trained. They have extensive knowledge of the spacecraft and the conditions it will encounter during the flight.

By undertaking this historic journey, Richard Branson aims to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of commercial space tourism. Virgin Galactic plans to offer suborbital flights to the public, allowing individuals to experience the thrill of space travel and gain a unique perspective of our planet.