Australia: $ 200,000 to become astronauts

Richard Branson in the astronaut suit at the press conference announced Australia's first private astronaut service

Those who love space science and want once to enjoy the feeling of being immersed in the vast universe can now make that dream come true: airline Virgin Blue has announced astronaut service Australia's first private, for $ 200,000 per flight.

These private astronauts will fly into space and spend five minutes in zero gravity. Virgin Blue airline director Brett Godfrey, and science-technology reporters Alan Finkel and Wilson de Silva will be Australia's first private astronauts when the ship Virgin Galactic was launched in 2008.

Virgin founder and British billionaire Richard Branson said the trio will pave the way for space travel to become a normal thing for Australians.

Godfrey, a self-proclaimed " cosmic addict ", said he would spend $ 200,000 and was happy to be one of the first private astronauts. ' I think, without a doubt, that flying into space will be an extremely exciting moment ,' he said.

' I think every aviation operator in the world wants to be technically savvy, and I believe that throughout our lives we will have the opportunity to fly between Australia and London - the distance you may have take a day - within a lunch '.

Mr. Branson is "wearing" a silver astronaut outfit to attend the press conference, saying that every Virgin Galactic passenger will undergo three days of training before flying into space.

The flight only lasts for two hours, and the flight participants will have 5 minutes in zero gravity. Mr. Branson said Virgin Galactic now has about 34,000 people from 118 countries registering these exciting flights.

' People will hit the road like a passenger and return as an astronaut, ' he said.

Virgin Galactic said two other passengers, both under 18, will also join the first flight into this space of Australia.