January 23, 2008 1:03 PM PST

Photos: Full speed ahead for SpaceShipTwo

by Desiree Everts
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Ready to pony up $200,000 for a ride into space? Virgin Galactic unveiled its final design for SpaceShipTwo, a suborbital spacecraft for private citizens, at an event Wednesday at New York's American Museum of Natural History.

Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson (left) and Scaled Composites CEO Burt Rutan unveil the final design for for Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo.

(Credit: Caroline McCarthy/CNET News.com)

CNET News.com's Caroline McCarthy was on hand to witness Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson and Scaled Composites CEO Burt Rutan show off images and mockups of the spacecraft.

The passenger vehicle will be mounted to WhiteKnightTwo, its "mother ship," which will fly the craft to the upper atmosphere. SpaceShipTwo has a 42-foot wingspan and wide windows so that passengers will have a mega-view of the Earth below. And despite the pricey $200,000 tickets, more than 100 folks have already signed on for the flight, according to Virgin Galactic.

For a look at Wednesday's event and to get an idea of what SpaceShipTwo will look like, check out this News.com gallery: Photos: That's one small step for SpaceShipTwo

Desiree Everts is an associate editor at CNET News who has focused on the digital media and telecommunications industries. E-mail Desiree.
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How about travel to Mars and Back ?
by the_inventor January 24, 2008 8:42 AM PST
Propose taking space shuttle round trip to Mars,

144 days ! - 67,000,000 miles/hr !

http://www.p2pnet.net/story/14705

Now that's Traveling !!!!
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