Wait-list for space trip

QUESTION: I dream of taking a flight into space. As I will never make it as an astronaut, I would love to be one of the first to fly on the commercial spacecraft being built by Richard Branson. I believe bookings are already being taken. How do I get my name on the list? - James White

ANSWER: It is easy to make a booking - come up with a deposit of at least 20,000 US dollars! (around R140,000) Seriously, though, you can reserve a seat on the first flights of the Virgin Galactic, which is presently being built at the project headquarters in the Mojave Desert in California. Bookings have been taken since mid-2005 and the first flight is already fully booked. A ticket is expected to cost around 200,000 US dollars (R1,4 million). That's a hefty price tag, but it's still a pittance compared to the 20 million US dollars Mark Shuttleworth paid to hitch a ride on the Russian Soyuz spaceship. There is no set departure date for the inaugural flight of the Branson flight, but go to www.virgingalactic.com for further information and to make your reservation.