Vacations in space.

• Position: Science - Brief Article

SpaceShipOne, a sleek combination of rocket and glider, may have brought space enthusiasts one small step closer to their dream vacation. On October 4, the ship shot into space for a third time, winning the $10 million Ansari X Prize--a competition to encourage commercial spaceflight. And Sir Richard Branson, the British entrepreneur who heads the Virgin Group of companies, has ordered five larger versions of SpaceShipOne for his new venture: Virgin Galactic. If all goes according to Branson's plan, passengers will begin traveling into space aboard Virgin Galactic ships by 2007--for about $190,000 per ticket. SpaceShipOne was financed by Paul G. Allen, a co-founder of Microsoft. The spacecraft was carried to 50,000 feet by a carrier aircraft, or...