Branson's Aussie Space Plan

Source The Australian

April 04, 2005

FLAMBOYANT entrepreneur Richard Branson wants to bring his "Virgin Galactic" spaceships to Australia and says he has already had approaches from several state governments.

Sir Richard's Virgin Group has entered into a deal with US space aviation pioneer Burt Rutan and software mogul Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, to develop affordable space tourism.

Mr Rutan's SpaceShipOne last October won the $US10million ($12.96 million) Ansari X-Prize, which was set up in 1996 to encourage civilian space flight, when it carried a man into suborbital space twice within two weeks. It also set an altitude record of 377,591 feet (115,090m).

A final design for Virgin's flagship spacecraft, the VSS Enterprise, is expected to be signed off on this year. A US base is expected to be training 3000 astronauts for the $US190,000 sub-orbital flights in as little as three years.

Sir Richard said in Sydney that the plan was to build sufficient spaceships to allow the establishment of separate bases around the world.

"Having said that, we would have to get an export licence from the American Government on it. We're 90 per cent sure that will be possible but, because it's space, they would certainly need certain protections," he said. "Subject to that, I think Australia would be a place where it would be wonderful to set up a space station and offer space travel from. We've had a number of states approach us."

The British entrepreneur said the space flights would be a great spectacle and attract wealthy individuals. In time, he hoped to bring down the price of space travel to make it more affordable.

But he was reluctant to put a figure on the reduced price.

"I'm not getting drawn on that, otherwise no one's going to pay the initial price, but it will come down after 10 years or so," he said.

Sir Richard also indicated Virgin Blue would move soon on its long-awaited frequent-flyer program, saying the scheme would be part of a renewed assault on Qantas now that Patrick Corp's takeover bid had expired.

Asked how Patrick's 62 per cent stake would affect the airline, Sir Richard said he believed it would be "business as usual" and that it had not affected his relationship with Patrick chief executive Chris Corrigan. The Virgin boss and his son are in Australia to film cameo appearances as astronauts in the new Superman movie, which features a Virgin Galactic spaceship.

for 190K i would want at least 1 full orbit!