Space planes 'to meet big demand'

[Rick]

Aerospace giant EADS says it will need a production line of rocket planes to satisfy the space tourism market.

The European company's Astrium division, makers of the Ariane rocket, has plans for a commercial vehicle to take ticketed passengers above 100km.

Its market assessment suggests there would be 15,000 people a year prepared to part with some 200,000 euros (£160,000) for the ride of a lifetime.

Astrium anticipates it be will be producing about 10 planes a year.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7298511.stm

[Rick]

California-based company XCOR has released details of the rocket plane it hopes will capture a sizeable share of the future space tourism market.

The Lynx vehicle will carry one pilot and a ticketed passenger above 60km.

It will be competing with Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson and aerospace giant EADS Astrium - both of whom have designs on the emerging niche market.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7315430.stm

[mickw]

An animation - you will have to sit through an advert though.

http://www.space.com/php/video/player.php?video_id=080327-xcor