Space tourism may soon be a reality in China as United States firm, Space Adventures, extends business into the country.

The company signed a cooperation contract with Hong Kong Space Tourism Co. Ltd. Sunday in Shenzhen, a booming city neighboring Hong Kong in Guangdong Province.

Some potential space tourists are discussing tours, and one person from Shenzhen has registered for a sub-orbit cruise, said Jiang Fang, president of Hong Kong Space Tourism Co. Ltd.

Four space projects will be introduced into China, including zero-gravity training, battle plane training, sub-orbit flight and space orbit tour; prices will range from US$10,000 to several million US dollars.

The initial projects are expected to recruit about 20 Chinese as a group and they will receive 16 days of ground simulation training on zero-gravity condition and military plane flight, Jiang said.

The applicants should be older than 18 years of age, be able to pay for the fare, about 100,000 yuan (US$12,048), and have no serious medical conditions, Jiang said.

The sub-orbit tour is a flight aboard a spacecraft off the aerosphere at about 100 kilometers from the earth. Travelers can get a bird's-eye view of the earth and feel zero-gravity at a speed of 4,000 kilometers per hour.

The space orbit flight is eight days at the International Space Station and 120 circles around the earth.

The concept of space tourism took shape in 2001 when US multi-millionaire Dennis Tito paid US$20 million, or US$1,800 dollars, to make his dream come true by stepping onto the International Space Station from a Soyuz spacecraft.

(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2005)