Singapore could become launch pad to space

A French aerospace giant wants to make Singapore a launch pad for commercial space flights.

European Aeronautic Defence and Space (Eads), a leading defence and military contractor, is working on the ambitious plan, which it hopes will eventually rival British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, which is to launch the world's first commercial space flight this year.

Mr Hugues Laporte-Weywada, Eads senior vice-president for international sales and marketing for the Asia-Pacific region, said a detailed feasibility study was done here last year, with positive results.

First, he said, there is a readily available pool of people in the region with deep-enough pockets to pay the €200,000 (S$350,000) it will cost for an hour-long ride into space.

Secondly, the infrastructure to house the planes and take-off site are available.