EADS Astrium has still not secured the funding for development of its "space jet" suborbital tourism vehicle, unveiled at the Paris air show last year.
The European space company announced that it had been working on the single-stage suborbital vehicle and was seeking funds of up to €1 billion ($1.4 billion) from investors and customers who could fly a regular suborbital service for tourism, scientific or military purposes. Seat prices were estimated in the €150,000-200,000 range, but Astrium has no intention of being an operator.
In June last year Astrium's chief technical officer and space jet project leader Robert Lainé said the work had begun in 2005 and that vehicle systems breadboard testing was continuing as the search for investors speeded up following initial talks with potential backers at the start of 2007.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
