Approximately 18 months away from its first planned commercial space flight Virgin Galactic under the helm of Sir Richard Branson begins testing of its lightweight carbon composite materials based SS2 spaceplane. The plane will be carried to a height of 50,000 feet in the air where it will detach from the carrier plane known as “WhiteKnightTwo” and proceed to fire its hybrid rocket motor which will thrust it to an altitude of 360,000 feet. It is at this altitude that the passengers will be able to experience about 6 minutes of zero gravity weightlessness. Afterward the plane will cut power to its engine and glide back to the spaceport currently under construction in New Mexico. At a price tag of 200,000 per person, that’s one hell of a thrill ride but it isn’t space! There’s no oxygen tank or fancy suit. None of that brush with death crap real astronauts experience punching through the 3000 degree thermal layer surrounding Earths outer atmosphere. I hope you get peanuts at least. Having said all that, if I had 200k to blow I’d be on the first one smokin’.

Here’s a picture of the spaceport they are building in New Mexico to house the passengers waiting for their turn to take a ride in this thing. Aptly named Spaceport America.