Hot on the heels of the successful Shenzhou VI mission, the identity of China's first space tourist was revealed yesterday at a press conference. Eric Anderson, president of US-based Space Adventures Ltd, confirmed that Jiang Fang will take off on a sub-orbital space mission in 2007, adding that Jiang had paid US$100,000 for the trip.

News of China's first space tourist was actually made known in February. But, few details were available then. Media reports only mentioned that a man surnamed Jiang, from Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province, had applied for a space trip and would be China's first space tourist. Further, Jiang at the time would only say that he was in his 30s and involved in electronics manufacturing.

"A new hero is created when a space flight is launched," Anderson said. "I want to create more private-space-travel heroes in China."

The company was responsible for sending the world's first three space tourists into the galaxy: Dennis Tito in 2001, Mark Shuttle worth in 2002 and Greg Olsen this year. All three were sent to the International Space Station at a cost of US$20 million each.

Jiang said that he is keen to experience zero gravity in the one-and-half-hour sub-orbital mission where the craft flies at an altitude of 100 kilometers. A commercial jet flies at about 12 kilometers while Shenzhou VI flew at altitudes between 200 and 344 kilometers.

"I want to experience weightlessness and explore the wonders of space," said Jiang, president of Hong Kong Space Travel Ltd, which is the Chinese agent for Space Adventure.

He explained that he decided to become the agent for the US company after applying for the trip.

His company offers services ranging from orbital and sub-orbital flights to space-flight training and other space-related activities.

The company is even offering a free seat for a sub-orbital adventure at an unspecified time but Chinese people seem content to watch the heroes of the country's latest manned mission, Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng, on television. Jiang said no one has made a booking.

(China Daily October 21, 2005)