Virgin Galactic unveils SpaceShipTwo model

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Branson, whose Virgin Galactic is charging $200,000 (102,000 pounds) for a short trip into space, said his SpaceShipTwo will start test flights later this year.

"We really do want to have a situation where hundreds of thousands of people who want to experience space travel are able to do so," said Branson at a media event at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan.

"Even though the dollar isn't worth much anymore, $200,000 is still too expensive for the majority of people," he said. "Within five years of launching, I would hope the price would come down fairly dramatically."

Virgin Galactic (www.virgingalactic.com), part of Branson's airline, vacation and retail company Virgin Group, now has more than 200 people signed up for the ultimate sightseeing trip, stumping up more than $30 million in deposits.

Passengers getting ready for the two-hour trip include physicist Stephen Hawking, former soap star Victoria Principal and designer Philippe Starck.

"LIKE THUNDERBIRDS"

About 100 of Virgin's reserved passengers attended Wednesday's unveiling, to get the first glimpse of the spacecraft's design.

"It's like something out of Thunderbirds," said Trevor Beattie, a British advertising executive, referring to the 1960s TV series. "It's what we as kids in the 1960s thought the future would be like."

Beattie, who co-runs the Beattie McGuinness Bungay advertising firm in London, said he bought the flight instead of splurging on a Ferrari, as he can't drive.