Holiday in Outer Space

The C-21 can fly one pilot and two passengers on a sub-orbital space flight to an altitude of over 100km at the peak of its parabolic trajectory.

At a cost of US $98,000 - there are already 100 bookings for the flight - passengers will undergo four days of space flight training before heading into orbit to experience several minutes of weightlessness and what must be a mind-blowing view of the Earth from space.

Other projects to put tourists into orbit are also on the horizon with the first purpose built orbiting 'motel' known as Mini Station One due for launch in 2004.

A joint venture between the Russian Space Agency and Netherlands based 'MirCorp', a 20-day visit to Mini Station One will still cost around US$20 million.

For those of us who don't happen to be multi-millionaires, there far more attainable tourist opportunities available right now in 'near space'.

Space Adventures offers a number of unique packages including an 'edge of space' journey in a Russian MiG-25 that takes you 25kms above the earth's surface - that's 3 times the altitude of Mt Everest) in - at US$12,595 per person and Zero Gravity Flights - which deliver 30 seconds of weightlessness - at US$5,400 per person.

Neutral buoyancy and Centrifuge G training is also available and for those with slightly deeper ambitions (and pockets), there are also seats available on the MIR Submersible which dives a depth of 2400m below the sea to view rarely-seen ecosystems based around hydrothermal vents at a cost of US $21,950 per diver.

And if you make the grade as a spaceflight participant you could even make it all the way to the moon with hopes of a permanent station there by 2015 and an entire village by 2040.

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