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Space Tours to Northern Lights

Virgin Galactic to offer flights into heart of aurora borealis

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 29, 2007 11:41 AM CST
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(Newser) – Virgin Galactic plans to launch sightseeing tours into the heart of the northern lights—a first for humans—within three years. If all goes to plan, passengers willing to pay $200,000 a ticket will board spacecraft from north of the Arctic Circle to head for the edge of space, directly through the shimmering aurora borealis, the Guardian reports.

Sir Richard Branson's company will begin space flights from New Mexico around the same time, but the ones from the Esrange space center in Sweden will have the bonus of passing through the spectacular northern lights. Between the two sites, Virgin expects to fly 5,000 passengers a year into space. Branson and and his family plan to be on the first flight.

This Dec. 19, 2006, photo released by NASA and taken by a crew member on board Space Shuttle Discovery shows the Aurora Borealis, also known as northern lights. The long exposure on the digital still camera enabled the astronaut to capture stars and city lights. Astronaut Sunita Williams was on...
This Dec. 19, 2006, photo released by NASA and taken by a crew member on board Space Shuttle Discovery shows the Aurora Borealis, also known as "northern lights". The long exposure on the digital still...   (Associated Press)
Sir Richard Branson. The founder of Virgin Galactic is also planning to be among the very first passengers. He recently completed training at Philadelphia's Nastar center.
Sir Richard Branson. The founder of Virgin Galactic is also planning to be among the very first passengers. He recently completed training at Philadelphia's Nastar center.   (Getty Images)
A band of aurora borealis, the northern lights, stretches over the Chugach Range near Palmer, Alaska, in this February file photo. By 2010, Virgin Galactic plans to be offering commercial space flights passing through the northern lights. (AP Photo/Bob Martinson, FILE)
A band of aurora borealis, the northern lights, stretches over the Chugach Range near Palmer, Alaska, in this February file photo. By 2010, Virgin Galactic plans to be offering commercial space flights...   (Associated Press)
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