Although Virgin has yet to launch its first commercial space flight, a family from Singapore has already booked out an exclusive voyage on SpaceShipTwo. Stephen Attenborough, Commercial Director of Virgin Galactic, told reporters from AFP that the businessman and father-of-two had approached the company with the idea — and had signed the million-dollar contract over dinner, opting to remain anonymous because "apparently he hasn't told his wife yet." The family join over 500 others in the wait for the first flights, with just nine ticket-holders from Singapore.

Virgin first announced its plans to take tourists into space back in 2004, aiming for a launch two to three years afterwards. However, despite successful tests, delays have meant that this 2006-7 window has slipped to 2013. Tourists will take off and land at Virgin's spaceport in New Mexico, with tickets normally costing $200,000 per person for the six seater, one-launch-per-week flight.