NEW MEXICO: Virgin Galactic is about to become the first rocket company to launch the boss to space.

Richard Branson will strap into one of his sleek, shiny space planes on Sunday for a brief up-and-down ride to the edge of space.

He'll join five company employees for the test flight from New Mexico.

It will be the company's fourth trip to space.

The 70-year-old founder of the Virgin Group assigned himself to his company's first full-scale space crew, jumping ahead of Blue Origin's Jeff Bezos by nine days.

Bezos’ liftoff is set for July 20 from West Texas.