richard branson is getting ready to take tourists into space. we will ask him if he can get off the ground in the next 12 to 18 months. flights are booked and they are waiting to see if they can pull it off. >>> first, though, president obama meets at the white house this morning with congressional leaders from both parties and ready to make a historic offer on social security. bill plante has the latest for us this morning. good morning, bill. >> reporter: good morning. the president has raised the stakes for today's meeting. sources here say he is ready to make an offer for a dramatic restructuring of the entire federal fiscal outlay. it could include cuts in all all of the major entitlement programs, including social security in exchange for a tax overhaul. now he already has floated this idea to the republican leadership but publicly, at least, they still remain skeptical about what they are going to hear today. >> i hope that there will be some kind of break-through tomorrow. maybe he could begin by telling us what he has in mind. we have h

richard branson heads virgin galactic.ld attempts to make space travel as routine as boarding an airplane. >> we want to make space accessible to everyone. i mean that's a revolutionary change but it is incredibly exciting. >> there are several companies, some big, some small, who see, as nasa moves on to distant planets, that weightless region just above the atmosphere, just out of reach right now, becoming quite possibly a good investment. >> nasa's still in there, still going to develop a heavy-lift rocket. but we've got this hopefully flowering of private spaceflight and that's what's going to get us the hiltons and hertz rent-a-cars in orbit. >> spacex and virgin galactic are on the verge of not just opening -- >> lift-off! >> -- but stepping through that door to the future. southeast of elephant butte dam on the rio grande river, not part from truth or consequences, new mexico, you come to a place down the end of a long two-lane road. here in the middle of nowhere, under a high blue sky, is space port america. >> i a

. >> eli richard branson heads virgin galactic.oth are using their considerable wealth to back bold attempts to make space travel as routine as bordering an airplane. >> we want to make space accessible to everyone. i mean, that's a revolutionary thing but it's incredibly exciting. >> there are several companies, some big, some small, who see as nasa moves on to distant planets that weightless region just above the atmosphere, just out of reach right now, becoming quite possibly a good investment. >> still want to develop a heavy lift rocket. but we've also got this hopefully flowering of private space flight. that's what's going to get us the hilton and the herts rent a cars in orbit. >> space x and virgin galactic are on the verge of not just opening but stepping through that door to the future. >> southeast of elephant butte dam on the rio grande river, not far from truth or consequences, new mexico, you come to a place down the end of a long two-lane road. here in the middle of nowhere, under a high blue sky is space port ameri

. >> eli richard branson heads virgin galactic.e using their considerable wealth to back bold attempts to make space travel as routine as bordering an airplane. >> we want to make space accessible to everyone. i mean, that's a revolutionary thing but it's incredibly exciting. >> there are several companies, some big, some small, who see as nasa moves on to distant planets that weightless region just above the atmosphere, just out of reach right now, becoming quite possibly a good investment. >> still want to develop a heavy lift rocket. but we've also got this hopefully flowering of private space flight. that's what's going to get us the hilton and the herts rent a cars in orbit. >> space x and virgin galactic are on the verge of not just opening but stepping through that door to the future. >> southeast of elephant butte dam on the rio grande river, not far from truth or consequences, new mexico, you come to a place down the end of a long two-lane road. here in the middle of nowhere, under a high blue sky is space port america. >>

the anchor tenant -- branson's virgin galactic company.ll be home to virgin's mother ships and spaceships. a year and a half from now, if all the test flights go well, a mother ship will take off down this runway, climb to 50,000 feet and release a space plane tucked beneath it. the six civilian astronauts and two pilots will climb to 350,000 feet and experience weightlessness for four minutes. the price tag for the round trip, $200,000. branson and his family hold the first tickets. >> we've got extensive tests over the next 15 months before myself and my children go into space and my wife won't forgive me if i don't bring the kids back. >> branson alludes to the risk. his spaceship employs unique technology. as it descends back to earth, the tail section rotates to a 65-degree angle, creating drag and slowing the vehicle. but that word "risk" creeps into every conversation about the retirement of shuttle and the commercialization of space. there is no denying it, no getting away from it. >> i consider it a risk. you know, with big risks,

sir richard branson, thank you for your time. you are one of the world's best known risk takers.e past decade, what was your best bet? >> i hope our best bet will be deciding to go into creating a commercial spaceship company, and galactic was born. the spaceship is finished. the mothership is finished. the space port is nearly finished. and president obama has basically been an indicator that he wants commercial spaceship companies to offer space travel to people rather than spending all that money on nasa in the future. >> now, that's a combination of what you hope is a good business decision but also this sort of sci-fi romantic adventure. >> i've always wanted to go into space. companies run by governments don't often think about what i want to do. so having waited a number of decades, i decided, you know, let's do it ourselves, so that myself and my family would be able to go into space and many other people would be able to join us. that is something that i think most people, if they can afford it, would love the chance to go into space and start to explore space. >> and if

there's sir richard branson of virgin. that's sports.see you tomorrow. >> thanks. >>> swimming with the sharks as they say. they say. coming ,,,,,, that's amazing. you know what else is amazing? how easy it is to save money on motorcycle, boat, or camper insurance with geico. >>> a group of divers in florida have a once in a lifetime experience and it's caught on tape. it's a shark while, the encounter lasts for about a half hour before the big fish swam away. >>> a soccer tournament in scottland sure got bogged down that's because it was played in a swamp. 40 teams waited for the soft mud for anything that resembled a ball. despite all the mud slinging, the players hat a lot of fun. the real work will be ,,,,,,,, if i were a customer, because it's convenient. it's just the best way to go. keeps the cost down. [ male announcer ] southwest airlines has added new nonstop flights from bwi airport to south carolina. it means more time doing the things i want to do. it's easy. it's hassle-free. there's no headaches. [ male announcer ] fly sou

you have entrepreneurs like richard branson saying i'm going to take civilians into space, i'm going to do what they said might happen with the shuttle program f richard branson were to call you up, tom wolf and say, "i loft right stuff" and you are the guy i want on one of my first flights into space, what would you say? >> i would say pick somebody in his 20s. so much of the work is learned on the job. this is a feat in itself. by trial and error, you just simply cannot just put want ads in the paper and find people of this caliber. >> sounds like you worried we may be closing a chapter and suffering irreparable harm because of it? >> is certainly giving up a great, great mission for man to not be able to go into space the way it was done, the apollo program particularly. i wouldn't say irreparable harm but we lost a chance to ex-plorlt heavens and who know what is we will find if we explore the heavens? >> tom wolf, author of "the right stuff" always great read, particularly on this day as which watch the final shuttle mission take off. mr. wolfe, thanks for your time. >> thank yo

it is that kind of sentiment which sir richard branson the founder of virgin galactic is betting on.rs is willing to take the tourist to the stratosphere for $200,000. and we have the ceo of virgin galactic with us. and thank you for being with us, george. and we hear that the price of this trip will drop to $200,000. and that is amazing. >> we feel that we can dramatically open up the space flight, and we know we have to get the price down, but we start here. >> and where are you on the process, because there are 80,000 people on the waiting list to go, but go when? >> i would say soon, 18 months. we are flying right now already with the vehicles and so, next year, we are going to start to go to space, and after that, we will start to take people. >> and the definition of space is part of the tricky point here. we are talking about the lower earth. >> yeah. so, that the boundary in space is basically 100 kilometers high, and we are going up to 110 kilometers and it is a short trip, but you have to skeep in mind that the russians are charging nasa $60 million to go in space. >> but f

launch in one thousand nine hundred eight branson is expanding with over fifty hotels and resorts around the world. if you're looking for stylish accommodation all fine better than the trust to double your best hotel recently and already it's full of the who's who of st petersburg i high as jack says in taurus with just one hundred thirty seven rooms the service is in ecuador out personal if you do stay here but i do recommend that you bring your credit card. as well as a spectacular rooftop bar and the bliss pool in star hotel boasts a restaurant called mix. it invites guests to enjoy calorie masterpieces island to cast the most of french cooking in the world records meant for the number of michelin stars then. the same duesberg is amazing cultural historic and grounds to try our best to harmonize the cuisine with to see the spirits through to be top quality and at the same time reasonably tries to be the best of all of this to see that the us defense of the north is a great city for dining out with restaurants to suit every pocket from humble backpack is to a list celebrities as for hu

would be soon which branson if you knew about sons from sons stuporous you insult. these flu stunts on t.v. dot com. the to. catch. headlines on r t one hundred people are now officially confirmed dead after a russian cruiser sank in the cold the river the country's worst boating sastre a former captain of the preston says it was not fit to sail and long before sunday's action. washington's a missile shield over europe chips away at the relationship between us and us stands accused of taking advantage of anti soviet sentiment to secure future bases and. the world's most famous whistleblower julian assange continues to be at the high court in london fight extradition to sweden he's wanted there for questioning over a sexual assault allegation supporters supporters fear that sweden will only be a staging post to the u.s. . because of the headlines but let's dive head first into your world of sports now a break in the formula one calendar this weekend but no rest for some of the teams red bull and ferrari will be taking their cars to sochi and the sport in russia which

look at the markets now or oil is in the red this hour light sweet is losing about half a dollar and branson is down a valid point thirty six cents prices remain on the fresh air as a result of washington brightening over the u.s. that ceiling. and let's take a look at the european markets they are lower this hour with washington is that problems affecting investor confidence there as well the footsies down more than almost two percent and the dax ensues in points one to six percent there let's take a look at what's happening in the russian markets they are in the positive territory this hour we are three x. is more than half of the signs and my socks is up just slightly more than point one percent of investors though are still in the size of avoiding risky moves ahead of economic reports and critical decision making in the u.s. . the united states has less than a week to come up with a deal to raise its fourteen point three trillion dollars that ceiling a failure all the politicians to agree could risk and then precedence the downgrade of the world's biggest economy. at the moment america i

three hundred eighty for control seven designated areas to local forces but andrew activists jim branson train the minute she faces be left behind. i would question to what extent they really want to leave clearly they have to present themselves as leaving whether they really intend to leave i think you can gauge why for example the amount of construction that's going on at places. nato bases at places like kandahar and by graham and so on which look very permanent of hundreds of millions of dollars but certainly some process is going on. in a withdrawal or something that we could recognizably call a withdraw but compared to the goals that they set themselves or that they claim for themselves ten years ago there's very little to cheer about i think you have to ask the question security for who or for what's when they talk about handing over responsibility for security because by all. accounts for example the afghan army as it's called is is very much biased towards messmate groups so it starts with makeup from the beginning so the idea that it would be an impartial force or seen to be a

>> guest: richard branson has taken the patent and the license to the technology. in not too long they will be flying people, paying passengers into space. you go straight of that come straight back down and have an hour. an amazing ride at you are floating weightless in space for five minutes. that will be exciting. when i was watching these flights -- something goes wrong i get an error message. in rocketry something goes wrong, with a human being inside it is really bad. i am occasionally asking questions in retrospect not this one really. there has to be a free seat in spaceshipone so capable of flying three people into space. while the test flights only one person? they said in case something goes wrong. oh yes. when those flights were happening i was so nervous and so happy when they got back on the ground. >> host: speak a little bit about judgment day:intelligent design. >> guest: there was a documentary we did following on the evolution documentary where we talked about a court case that happened about textbooks. it is interesting. i recommend people see i

serene branson, cbs news. >> it's about four minutes after the hour.another check of the weather with lonnie. >> good morning to you. boy we have a big cookie ""the early show," all because great american cookies teamed up with the yellow ribbon fund to help injured servicemen and women around our country. two bucks from every big giant cookie helps the cause. let's talk weather. here are my headlines, tanning at the texas beach, air temperature 98 degrees. swimming at the texas beach, water temperature 88 degrees, there is no relief in sight. temperatures will not be changing throughout the holiday weekend, 96 san antonio, 99 dallas, 98 port arthur, at the beach you dive into the water for relief, take a bar of soap, 88 degrees, almost 90 degrees in the water, not a lot of rain anywhere across this fine country of ours. that's a look at the national picture. here's a closer look at the weather for your weekend. >>> this weather segment sponsored by prudential, bring your challenges. >> all right, it is time now for my holiday shout out this morning, i

>> well, richard branson has already taken the patents, licenses. i think a year two years there will start flying people, flying paying passengers into space. basically you go straight up and come straight back down and about half an hour. it's an amazing ride. you're floating witless and space for about five minutes. that's going to be exciting. when i was watching these flights i was -- if something goes wrong i will get an error message. [laughter] in rocketry is something goes wrong with a human being inside it is really bad. another 90 question. i have up habit of asking questions in retrospect. not this you know, there has to be a free seat. be able, be capable of flying three people. i said, well, why are all our test flights only one person? they said, in case something goes wrong. and i went, oh, yeah. so when those fights were happening i was so nervous and just so happy when they got back on the ground. >> please speak a little bit about judgment day? intelligent design. >> that was a documentary that we did following up on the evolution

richard branson heads virginia galactic.ing their considerable wealth to back bold attempts to make space travel as routine as boarding an airplane. >> people used to say to me, look, it would be impossible to build your own spaceship and your own spaceship company and be able to take people into space. and that's the kind of challenge that i love to sort of prove them wrong. >> we want see a future where we are exploring the stars, where we're going to other planets, where we're going the great things that we read about in science fiction and in the movies. >> reporter: there are several companies, some big, some small, who see as nasa moves on to distant planets that weightless region just above the atmosphere, just out of reach right now, becoming quite possibly a good investment. >> nasa's still in thereby, still going to develop a heavy lift rocket, but we've also got this hopefully flowering of private space flight, and that's what's going to get us the hilton and the hertz rent-a-cars and whatever in orbit. >> reporte

american has always been the critics branson compromise a democracy made up every race, religion and every belief is welcome. every point of view will put to test time and time again the proposition of our founding that many times we are one. we have engaged in fierce and passionate debates about the issue today. from slavery, war, civil liberties, questions of economic justice we have tried to live above the words that jefferson once wrote. every man cannot have his weight in all things. with of this mutual disposition. disjointed individuals. every man cannot have is-way. history is scattered by the rigid ideologists that would allow not listen to others that would disagree. that is not the america that we remember. we remember in america that puts itself in front of itself for the greater good putting personal grievances the site. we remember the americans that put this together for the most difficult time and put her right and party aside. until we remember that is who we need to be right now. the entire world is watching. so, let us seize this moment to show why the united state

it is the type of operation that richard branson is doing. plain people who want to experience space flight. it is a repeat of the alan shepard first flight into space. one goes into space and then comes back, gets to view the planet from an incredible vantage point that many people, to this date, have not had an opportunity to do. i think that is around the corner. not that many years away, if not within a couple of years. >> considering a number of expeditions to the international space station, what is the future of the astronaut corps, and how the retain and attract those that are interested? >> the good news is, i do not have a problem attracting people to the astronaut corps. i have a problem selecting from the thousand that apply. the fact that america is the leading nation in terms of exploration attractive young men and women, the fact that they can see there is a real possibility that they can go to space very soon because we are not leaving space, and we are going to be occupying the international space station until at least 2020,

it is the type of operation that sir richard branson wants to do where scientists and plain people who want to experience space flight have an opportunity to launch and do like -- is a repeat of the allen sheppard first flight into space. someone will get to fly and then view of our planet. i think that is around a corner. it will not be that many years away and not within one couple of years. >> considering the number of expeditions to the international space station each year, what is the future of the astronaut corps and how you attract, motivate, and retain those who would be attracted? >> i don't have any problem attracting people to the astronaut corps. i have a problem warding them off and selecting out of the thousands that apply. america is the leading nation in terms of exploration and that attracts young men and women. the fact that they can see there is a real possibility that they can go to very sen because we are not leaving space and we're occupying the international space station until 2015 or beyond. we can get them there and we will get them there. the fact that they

. >> let's not forget the richard branson's of the world and what they are doing and how that could contributepace wise. >> yeah. right. exactly. the only real thing about that is they are talking lower orbit, the same place the shuttle went. they are not talking going to mars or asteroids. it's china that is really, really moving in that direction. one person told me, it might be a good thing if the chinese beat us to an asteroid or mars or moon because then the united states, will suddenly be inspired to go back and do things. >> we don't want that competition. we want to be number one. stay with us for live coverage starting at 10:00 a.m. eastern as the space shuttle takes off for the very last time. it's actually a connecting rod coming out to the side of the block this is a big piece of the engine block that was blown off. it's not because they ran it out of oil. they didn't change the oil. as your engine produces different particulants, you want to pick that up and take it down to the oil pan to the oil filter. so the moral of the story is, if you don't want to see your engine in a comme

. >> just need some money from richard branson to do that. >> they'll figure it out. >>> this huge changeired astronaut jeff ashby, who will speak about his three missions on columbia, ""endeavour" and "atlantis." >>> final shuttle launch is set a week from friday. our coverage begins 10:00 am eastern time. >>> in just over an hour, america's son, joey chestnut trying to repeat last year's victory at, yes, nathan's famous hot dog eating contest.ac we will talk to this top dog in th ke eating con federation ando possibly one of the new contestants. before making my dinner. which is fine, i mean i, i know how to make dinner. it just starts to make you wonder. is this what happens when you age? my friends used to say i was the lucky one. i had the fun parents. where's the fun now? night, guys. [ sighs ] ♪ [ male announcer ] toyota venza. keep on rolling. [ male announcer ] toyota venza. purina cat chow helps you well-being. we're all striving for it. nurture it in your cat with a full family of excellent nutrition and helpful resources. purina cat chow. share a better life. >>> checking stor

giorgio armani is there and nicolas sarkozy and richard branson is there, too. all of this celebration is being overshadowed by a report she tried to bolt and went to an airport in nece and tried to buy a one-way tricket to south africa because she was learning all of these alleged secrets that prince albert had kept and she just wanted to go. listen to what the couple had to say before all this drama. listen. >> not too nervous, not too emotional. i've got a lot of things to worry about in other areas before that day and so just trying to make sure everything goes well. >> charlie? you're calm, collected? yes, i'm fine. i haven't got any problems so far. everything seems to be going really well. i'm excited and can't wait. >> reported jim bitter man, our reporter, is speaking to the two of them. will they be happily married? we will find out in the next couple of hours if things go smoothly. the palace denies any rift between the two of them and says the bride absolutely does not have cold feet. the price tag for this wedding, only a hundred million dollars. >>

. >> reporter: richard branson heads virgin gau lactic, and both are trying to make space travel as routineboarding an airplane. >> people used to say it would be impossible to build your own space ship and spaceship company and be able to take people to space, and that's the kind of challenge that i love, to prove them wrong. >> i want to see where we are exploring the stars and going to other planets, and we're doing the things we read about in science fiction and other movies. >> some companies are big, and some are small, and the weightless region just above the atmosphere, just out of reach right now, becoming quite possibly a good investment. >> nasa's still in there and will develop a heavy lift rocket, but we also have this hopefully flowering of private space flight, and that's what is going to get the hiltons, and the rental cars in orbit. >> reporter: they are on the verge of not just opening, but stepping through that door to the future. >> we want to make space accessible to everybody. that's a revolutionary change. it's incredibly exciting. it brings the possibility of space t

richard branson's private island in the bahamas, secluded and perfect but still not paparazzi-proof.t to happen. >> what we'll do is pull a fireworks permit. planes are not allowed to fly in an area -- >> intreing. >> doeoethat mean we can also have fireworks? >> reporter: on the big day after four days of island fun with just 35 family members and friends, all the planning paid off. >> i'm sitting in front of the mirror. i'm like, well, this is it. this is it. this is the moment. we're making it official. we're getting married and we're going to be mrs. nick lachey. it was a two-piece monique lhullier ensemble. and it was gorgeous. >> just a small group of people that they love and trust. and you know, when they look back on it in 20 years they'll still be friends with those people. >> reporter: the couple danced the night away, barefoot, before a grand finale of fireworks. >> when you see the smiles on their face, you can't buy that love and happiness. you just can't buy it. >> and we're both smiling. you can see more tomorrow night on tlc. congratulations to nick and vanessa. >> y

i think richard branson summed it up very well when he was quoted as saying something like, my wife wouldever forgive me if i didn't bring the kids back. as you may know, he is planning to fly his family on the first flight of his vehicle, first commercial flight, and i think there's no greater statement to the safety of a vehicle than to take it on yourself. >> you know i've got to ask you the personal questions now. you know, i've known your story -- i've known you for more than a decade and i love it when you tell folks, i was a kid, a dishwasher, watching the coverage of the man on the moon and i said to myself, i'm going to be an astronaut. you did it. so, what are you reflecting upon as we approach the final mission, jeff? >> yeah, i was 15 years old when neil armstrong walked down that ladder. it set in course a series dreams and goals that led me through the life that i've passed. but, you know, right now for me is another time of great inspiration. i am so looking forward to this transition from government-controlled space access to one that is controlled by the free market. and

it is the type of operation that sir richard branson wants to do where scientists and plain people who want to experience space flight have an opportunity to launch and do like -- is a repeat of the allen sheppard first flight into space. someone will get to fly and then view of our planet. i think that is around a corner. it will not be that many years away and not within one couple of years. >> considering the number of expeditions to the international space station each year, what is the future of the astronaut corps and how you attract, motivate, and retain those who would be attracted? >> i don't have any problem attracting people to the astronaut corps. i have a problem warding them off and selecting out of the thousands that apply. america is the leading nation in terms of exploration and that attracts young men and women. the fact that they can see there is a real possibility that they can go to very sen because we are not leaving space and we're occupying the international space station until 2015 or beyond. we can get them there and we will get them there. the fact that they

the biggest of those is b-sky-b and virgin media, partially owned by richard branson. b-sky-b is a very successful company known for its technology and have spent a lot of program. they have a lot of big american serials and movies. they have football rights which been after share with others. it has been an increasingly powerful force in british television media. when mr. murdoch proposed taking his minority stake to 100% control, it set up a chain of events were regulators and ministers have to consider competition and weathered the corporation's market share, when you look at newspapers and his television interests, have grown too big to allow further concentration of media ownership in the united kingdom and also something called media plurality. that is the idea of having enough voices in the mix. the bbc is the state-funded british broadcasting corporation which has television, radio, and online media and it is very competitive and raucous press that we have with more than one dozen daily national newspapers. then you have the new on-line upstarts. what is the ap

ilan musk runs space x and richard branson virgin atlantic.ce travel as routine as boarding an airplane. >> people used to say to me, look. it's impossible to build your own spaceship and your own spaceship company and be able to take people into space. that's the kind of challenge that i love to sort of prove them wrong. >> i want to see a future where we are exploring the stars, where we are going to other planets and we are doing the great things we read about in science fiction and in the movies. >> reporter: there are several companies. some big, some small, who see as nasa moves on to distant planets, that weightless region just above the atmosphere. just out of the reach right now, becoming quite possibly a good investment. >> nasa will still develop a heavy lift rocket but we also got this hopefully flowering space flight and get us the hiltons or hertz rent a cars into action. >> reporter: they are on the verge of now not just opening but stepping through that door to the future. >> we want to make spaes accessible to everyone. that's

send people to the international space station, but it is the type of operation that sir richard branson wants to do. that would have an opportunity to launch and in fact it is a repeat of the alan shepard first flight into space. it is a sub-orbital mission where you go into space and you the planet from an incredible that this point that many people to this date have not had an opportunity to do. i think that is around a quarter. and i mean not that -- not that many years away with -- if not a couple of years or so. >> considering the number of expeditions to the international space station each year, how to attract, motivate, and retain people motivated to it? >> i have no problem attracting people to the astronaut corps. i have of problem ordering the mall often selecting out of the thousands that applied. the fact that america is the leading nation in terms of exploration attracts young men and women. the fact that they can see that there is a real possibility to go to space very soon because we are not leading space. we're going to be occupying the international space station until

so we have had lots of fema experience and flooding and in branson and with with the lake there are lots of problems. i think we have tried to deal with those the best way we could bet i know you have got to leave and mr. o'brian you have to leave at 3:30 or so. 4:00, good. we have a second round of questions them and i'm glad to have that. just to start with mr. o'brian, you have been in the middle of this every day now since late may. to you have any recommendations that fema and the private sector could individually or collectively improve what we do to respond to these disasters? >> well, we have dealt most specifically with the her side of fema as mentioned, working on business recovery. and fema does not have the dollars for businesses, but they do have resources. what i would say senator is while they have been great partners in this, there is perhaps an issue of speed in response. i noted one which i think is a very good example, of them working with a national partner as we sat down and talk. talked. we talked about laptops for small businesses. they brought back national partne