Volvo Offers Free Seat on First Commercial Space Flight

The galactic tour company will officially open for business later this year, and subject to the requisite safety and regulatory

The galactic tour company will officially open for business later this year, and subject to the requisite safety and regulatory hurdles, expects to begin flights by 2007. (Photo: Virgin Galactic)

hurdles, expects to begin flights by 2007. During its first five years the company plans on training approximately 3,000 astronauts, reinvesting revenues into a new generation of space ships in order to enhance future space ventures.

Virgin Galactic's spacecraft are expected to be modeled after SpaceShipOne, the first privately funded, reusable space vehicle to ever be produced. In 2004 it won the Ansari X Prize by executing the first privately funded, manned suborbital space flight.

SpaceShipOne launched from a conventional runway and achieved sub-orbit, allowing its passengers to experience weightlessness while viewing the world below. When returning to Earth, the spacecraft transformed into a V-shaped "shuttlecock", which allowed it to

In case you were wondering, the seat on the sub-orbital flight, which also includes three days of pre-flight training, is valued at $200,000 USD. (Photo: Virgin Galactic)

glide through the atmosphere without overheating, before morphing back into a conventional aircraft shape to prepare for landing.

If a seat on Virgin Atlantic's maiden voyage interests you, sigh up at www.boldlygo.com from now until February 22nd. The winner will be announced March 24 at the New York International Auto Show, no doubt with Sir Richard Branson on hand.

In case you were wondering, the seat on the sub-orbital flight, which also includes three days of pre-flight training, is valued at $200,000 USD.