For the well heeled and well connected, space travel is increasingly within their grasp. For the rest of us, we have until 2012 to save for the anticipated $199,00 to $265,000 ticket price for a jaunt on the world’s first passenger space jet.

“European aerospace company EADS unveiled a model of a jet designed to take tourists into space, rocketing paying passengers to weightlessness at more than 62 miles above the Earth.
[...]
The space jet would take off from regular airports using conventional jet engines. Upon reaching an altitude of about 7 ½ miles, the pilot would ignite the rocket engines, sending the craft to an altitude of 37 miles in 80 seconds.”

When the craft reaches it’s appointed altitude, the engines will be shut down and for three minutes passengers will experience weightlessness while they gaze at the earth, with the entire journey only lasting a mere 30 minutes.

If one is recalling movies scenes of astronauts strapped into their seats holding on for dear life, rest assured, the design includes seats especially made to counteract the powerful forces at play during takeoff.

And apparently there are no lack of anticipated customers, with estimates projecting 20,000 passengers per year by 2020.

“Space tourism is expanding exponentially, with several entrepreneurs, including British billionaire Richard Branson, announcing plans to launch space tourism companies.

EADS Astrium builds the Ariane rocket, which puts many of the world’s commercial satellites into orbit.”
(source)