Airport for space tourism to be built in Saudi Arabia or UAE soon

Mohamed Nafee
For Al-Shorfa.com
2009-01-10

Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic, at the unveiling of the Spaceship Two and the White Knight carrier aircraft at the America Museum of Natural History in New York last January. Virgin Galactic intends to launch paying customers into sub-orbital space flights with the Spaceship Two. (Photo by Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images)

RIYADH - Sir Richard Branson, British businessman and owner of Virgin Airlines, said that his new company "Virgin Galactic" will specialise in space tourism. The company plans to build an airport or base to launch flights either in Saudi Arabia or the UAE within the next two years. His first space tourist flight is planned for the end of this year and will be launched from the California desert.

During his visit to Saudi Arabia last week Branson said, "We are still on a journey to discover the region, but in the near future we will start the project, and Saudi Arabia is qualified and has the potential to build the plant."

Virgin Galactic had earlier announced its intention to market strongly in the Arab Gulf states where there is high demand for space tourism, especially in Saudi Arabia. The company also opened its first office in the Middle East in Dubai in 2007.

The cost of a space flight is US$200,000 per person. The company did not disclose the number of applicants, but indications are that between 200 and 400 wealthy people have expressed interest in purchasing tickets.

The flight is expected to last for three hours. The vehicle will carry eight passengers to a height of 16,000 m and travel at a top speed of 2,500 mph, which is three times the speed of sound.

Passengers will experience weightlessness for three minutes and have the opportunity to look through windows at the landscape below. Before take-off, passengers will be required to take a three-day training course and undergo medical examinations to ensure they are in good enough shape for the flight. According to NASA, space tourism can generate enormous profits for investors. This sector is projected to make an average profit of US$10 billion annually over the next two decades.

[Al-Watan newspaper]

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