Flight International online news 14:30GMT: European satellite launching company Arianespace has announced it will sponsor the X Prize Cup planned for 2006.
Concept spacecraft from the Starchaser X Prize Cup team
Due to take place at the south west regional space port in New Mexico next year, the X Prize Cup has been established to test the various spacecraft that are being developed for space tourism.
Each vehicle will take a separate sub-orbital flight into space and back with the fastest team winning the X Prize Cup.
A series of events are planned in the run-up to the race starting with a symposium debating the next geneartion of space travel on 6 October at New Mexico State University.
ROSS BENTLEY/LONDON
Source: Flight International
