Post by oldmike on Oct 2, 2006 8:40:16 GMT 7
London - A Middlesex businessman is to become the first person in the world to use the air miles he earned to be blasted into space.
In the past six years, Alan Watts, 51, from Harrow, has flown upper class with Virgin Atlantic to the US about 40 times.
It has earned him two million air miles - enough to pay for the £100 000 trip to space with Virgin Galactic.
Watts, the managing-director of an electrical engineering firm, said it would be the most thrilling thing he has ever done in his life.
He said: "The nearest I've come to space before was going on the Space Mountain ride in Florida."
Watts will have three days of training before boarding the spacecraft, which travels at almost 5 000km/h.
Richard Branson has revealed that Watts would be among the first passengers as he unveiled a model of the Virgin Galactic SpaceShip2 in New York.
Branson said: "When we first contacted Alan to let him know he had qualified for this unique offer, I think he thought it was a prank call."
"Personally I am delighted that we have made it possible for Alan to do something that previously he had never dreamed was possible for him." - Ananova.com
In the past six years, Alan Watts, 51, from Harrow, has flown upper class with Virgin Atlantic to the US about 40 times.
It has earned him two million air miles - enough to pay for the £100 000 trip to space with Virgin Galactic.
Watts, the managing-director of an electrical engineering firm, said it would be the most thrilling thing he has ever done in his life.
He said: "The nearest I've come to space before was going on the Space Mountain ride in Florida."
Watts will have three days of training before boarding the spacecraft, which travels at almost 5 000km/h.
Richard Branson has revealed that Watts would be among the first passengers as he unveiled a model of the Virgin Galactic SpaceShip2 in New York.
Branson said: "When we first contacted Alan to let him know he had qualified for this unique offer, I think he thought it was a prank call."
"Personally I am delighted that we have made it possible for Alan to do something that previously he had never dreamed was possible for him." - Ananova.com