An image of the future tourism plane-rocket made by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company Astrium branch. Getting a closer look at the stars may soon stop being the privilege of a few select billionaires, with the space arm of EADS saying Wednesday it plans to have a space tourist plane in operation by 2012. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

 

An image of the future tourism plane-rocket made by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company Astrium branch. Getting a closer look at the stars may soon stop being the privilege of a few select billionaires, with the space arm of EADS saying Wednesday it plans to have a space tourist plane in operation by 2012. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

  

A mock-up of the future tourism plane-rocket made by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company Astrium branch. Getting a closer look at the stars may soon stop being the privilege of a few select billionaires, with the space arm of EADS saying Wednesday it plans to have a space tourist plane in operation by 2012. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

 

(Xinhua News Agency June 15, 2007)