Tourist Shuttle That Is 'Out Of This World'
The world's first commercial passenger shuttle has been unveiled by Sir Richard Branson which he hopes will take space tourists into orbit.
The Virgin Galactic SpaceshipTwo could be carrying passengers beyond Earth's atmosphere as early as 2011.
Sir Richard said he and his family - including his 92-year-old father - will be on the first flight, while others booked for a trip to the stars include physicist Stephen Hawking.
Test missions on SpaceShipTwo, which has enough room for six passengers and two pilots, are expected to start next year.
Some 300 clients are believed to have already each paid $200,000 (£121,500) for a ticket or put down a deposit for a seat.
The British billionaire teamed up with renowned aviation designer Burt Rutan for the project.
The vessel is based on Rutan's prototype SpaceShipOne. In 2004, the white rocket won the $10m (£6m) Ansari X prize after becoming the first privately manned craft to reach space.
Its successor is twice as large and has more windows to enable greater views of Earth as seen from its furthest reaches
SpaceShipTwo will be carried into the skies by its mothership, White Knight Two, and released at 50,000ft.
Rockets will then propel it to more than 65 miles above the Earth's crust.
After hitting the top of its trajectory, it will fall back to Earth, gliding the last part of the way before landing like an aeroplane.
The two-and-a-half-hour trip will include around five minutes of weightlessness.
Speaking from the Mojave Desert in California, where the vessel has been developed, Sir Richard said it was a "historic day" and the journey would be "100% safe".
He added: "I think it will be an experience that will be out of this world, literally. An experience of a lifetime."
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