European aerospace company EADS unveiled a model of a jet designed to take tourists into space on Wednesday, rocketing paying passengers to weightlessness 100km above the earth's surface.EADS Astrium said it hoped the space jet - which looks much like a conventional aircraft, though it is outfitted with rocket engines - will be operational by next year, with the first flight scheduled for 2012.
Tickets are expected to sell for 150,000 to 200,000 euro ($317,000 to $240,00), said the company, which presented a full-scale model of the craft in Paris.
The space jet would take off from regular airports using conventional jet engines. Upon reaching an altitude of about 12km, the pilot would ignite the rocket engines, sending the craft shooting to an altitude of 60km in 80 seconds.
The engines would then be shut down and inertia would carry the craft to its final altitude.There, passengers would be able to gaze down on earth and experience weightlessness for three minutes.
Only four passengers would travel on each hour and a half-long flight, the company said.
Source: Smh
