Get All Access for $5/mo

Richard Branson Says Elon Musk Showed Up in His House Barefoot in the Middle of the Night: 'He's A Night Animal' Branson said the incident occurred shortly before he took his first space flight with his space exploration company, Virgin Galactic.

By Emily Rella

Talk about a jump scare!

In a new interview with The Sunday Times, billionaire Richard Branson revealed that the night before his first flight with his space exploration company Virgin Galactic, he was paid a surprise visit by Elon Musk and his then-infant son, X Æ A-12.

"I woke up two hours earlier than I was meant to and jumped out of bed, and then actually realized I'd got the wrong time, but by then I was wide awake," Branson said of the early morning hours of July 11, 2021, which he thinks was around 2:30 a.m.

Branson was at his home in New Mexico at the time.

After waking up, Branson said he walked to his kitchen only to find a shoeless Musk (holding his son) who had "decided to surprise" him to wish him good luck ahead of the voyage.

"Basically, he's a night animal. He doesn't really sleep at night and gets his sleep in the daytime," Branson said. "We made a pot of tea and sat outside under the stars and caught up."

The billionaires documented their impromptu meeting on Twitter, which Musk would go on to purchase less than one year later.

After Branson's flight landed, Musk stood at the launchpad in support.

Branson also referred to Musk as the "Henry Ford of his generation" and called him "tremendously smart and even more driven."

Musk's space exploration company, SpaceX, completed the first-ever private human vehicle flight in 2020 with the Dragon. Musk himself has yet to make the voyage.

RELATED: Everything to Know About Richard Branson's New HBO Max Docuseries 'Branson'

Virgin Galactic is set to begin launching commercial space flights in the second quarter of 2023.

Emily Rella

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Side Hustle He Started in His College Apartment Turned Into a $70,000-a-Month Income Stream — Then Earned Nearly $2 Million Last Year

Kyle Morrand and his college roommates loved playing retro video games — and the pastime would help launch his career.

Science & Technology

Why We Shouldn't Fear AI in Education (and How to Use It Effectively)

Facing resistance to new technologies in the educational process is nothing new, and AI is no exception. Yet, this powerful tool is set to overcome these challenges and revolutionize education, preparing students and professionals for a future of unparalleled efficiency and personalized learning.

Business News

Apple's AI Has a Catch — And It Could Help Boost Sales

Not every iPhone owner will get to use the new Apple Intelligence.

Business News

Elon Musk Threatens to Ban Employees from Using Apple Products, Says Will Lock Devices in 'Cages'

The Tesla founder sounded off on X following Apple's 2024 Worldwide Developer Conference on Monday.

Business News

Y Combinator Helped Launch Reddit, Airbnb and Dropbox. Here's What I Learned From Its Free Startup School.

The famed startup accelerator offers a free course on building a business — and answers five pressing questions for founders.

Business Culture

You'll Always Have Anxious Employees if You Don't Follow These 4 Leadership Tactics

Creating a thriving workplace environment hinges on the commitment of company leaders to nurture and inspire their teams.