Space tourism company proud of Manx base

The Isle of Man public has a unique opportunity to see inside a former Russian spacecraft this weekend.

The capsule is one of three purchased by Douglas-based space exploration firm Excalibur Almaz, along with two former Russian space stations.

The company aims to refit the first capsule, or reusable re-entry vehicle, for private orbital trips around the Earth by 2013, although with the fare set at £35 million, it will be a limited market!

The Isle of Man government has set up a space commerce unit to encourage firms like Excalibur Almaz to locate their headquarters here, and aims to create a niche home for the emerging industry.

The company's executive vice president for technical operations is astronaut Leroy Chiao.

Speaking from Houston, Texas, Mr Chiao said they were proud of their association with the Island: