Say what you want about billionaires racing each other into space (although that is a bit of a relative term). Still, the fact that a journey beyond the atmosphere will soon be available to the (well-paying) public is indeed quite remarkable. 'Aerospace and space travel company' Virgin Galactic announced today it would commence ticket sales on Wednesday, February 16th.

This, the Richard Branson founded enterprise said, would provide the general public (also a very relative term) an opportunity to purchase one of the initial spaceflight reservations and 'secure membership in the unique community of Future Astronauts'. Tickets will cost $450,000. Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier said in a statement on Tuesday,

"At Virgin Galactic, we believe that space is transformational. We plan to have our first 1,000 customers on board at the start of commercial service later this year, providing an incredibly strong foundation as we begin regular operations and scale our fleet.”

Launching from Spaceport America after training days

The spaceflight itself will last for 90 minutes. Virgin Galactic says it will include a 'signature air launch' and a Mach-3 boost into space. The flight will offer moments of weightlessness as the spaceship turns around to provide customers with views of the earth through all of the 17 windows on VSS Unity.

It will launch from Spaceport America in the Jornada del Muerto desert in New Mexico, following several days of training for the would-be spacefarers. The astronaut-specific training program comes with 'world-class amenities', and customers will be allowed to bring guests - space camp for the rich and famous.

As previously mentioned, the cost of joining Virgin Galactic's 'future astronaut' club is close to half a million dollars. A deposit of $150,000 is required to reserve a spot, and anyone willing to front the money can go to the company's website to begin the application process.

Virgin Galactic says nothing about counterindications for space travel on its website, nor is it mentioned during the initial declaration of interest, but most likely, this is part of a more extensive screening process once the company has made sure you are not just a kid playing around (or a nosy reporter) wasting its time for fun.

New logo to celebrate the launch of commercial operations

Along with the launch of the ticket sales, Virgin Galactic has updated its company logo. The new 'brand identity' features the spaceship VSS Unity. Blair Rich, President and Chief Business Officer, Commercial and Consumer Operations, said the company had developed an effective sales process to support the growth of its commercial business. Furthermore, she added,

"A global, commercial spaceline demands an iconic and timeless brand. It is important that our brand represents our dynamic customer offering, and speaks to our unique experience, style and service.”

How much would you be willing to pay for a one-and-a-half-hour journey into space? Would you like to go? Do you think we will see more companies launching commercial space tours? Leave a comment below and join the new space race conversation.