Virgin Atlantic frequent fliers can take their miles to outer space

Frequent flyers will need to earn two million 'earthly' miles on Virgin Atlantic flights and convert them into 'space' miles to become an astronaut for three days. The trip will include 'g' acclimatisation and a flight in Virgin Galactica, which will take off from the Virgin Galactic spaceport in the US.

Branson said such a journey was like a distant dream, but soon it would be become a reality. "We expect the first Virgin Galactic space flight to take place in 2008, which gives our Flying Club members time to save up all their miles."

If you are not a Virgin Frequent Flyer, the trip will cost R1.2 million ($200 000), but Virgin Galactic expects prices to fall over time. "To date the world has seen only 444 astronauts, but with the launch of Virgin Galactic commercial flights we expect this to grow to many, many thousands," said Virgin Atlantic SA GM Peter Barry.

Virgin Galactic was established by Richard Branson's Virgin Group to develop space tourism for everybody. It will own and operate privately built spaceships, modelled on the SpaceShipOne craft, allowing affordable sub-orbital space tourism for the first time in history.

Virgin's experience in aviation will be vital in contributing to the design of the spaceship and the smooth operation of the spaceline. Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Galactic hope to announce other joint prospects in 2006.