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Space travel on the way

GALACTIC space travel may be nearer than you think, after Virgin's promise to unveil a Virgin Galactic spaceship in late-2007 and begin test flying in 2008.

Trade journal Travel Weekly says SpaceShipTwo will carry six passengers and two crew and launch from 60,000 feet, after being lifted to that altitude by a new jet aircraft called WhiteKnightTwo.

Although prices could start around £140,000 for 20 minutes in space out of a two and a half hour flight, Sir Richard Branson hopes to bring prices down as demand hots up.

"Space travel is never going to be dirt cheap, but it could be equivalent to luxury holiday," he predicts.

If, alas, a little smellier. While passengers might be able to remove seats belts to experience zero gravity for 20 minutes, floating 70-80 miles above Earth, there is a risk that those flying in normal clothes could experience "incontinence on re-entry".

Virgin has yet to decide whether space suits will be required. Sounds as if the honk factor could be grimmer than a Sunday night Channel ferry sailing back from Calais.

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