Britain's biggest space rocket unveiled

Britain's biggest space rocket has been unveiled at Salford University, the latest step on the way to sending tourists into space by 2013.
The 58ft Nova 2 was revealed by Steve Bennett, head of the university's Space Technology Laboratory.

The academic, who also runs a private company, Starchaser Industries, plans to launch Nova 2 in September 2009, to test a safety system which, if
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successful, will form the design of an even bigger rocket to carry visitors into space.

Mr Bennett said: "Nova 2 qualifies as the biggest rocket ever created and flown from the UK mainland.

"Early next year we will set out on a nationwide tour of schools across the country and we hope some of those pupils will join us for the launch in September 2009.

"Our ultimate aim, though, is to carry people into space and our latest rocket takes us another step closer to that ambition."

If successful, Mr Bennett's space tourism initiative will enable the public to purchase flights where they will spend 20 minutes in the air and experience three to four minutes of weightlessness, travelling at 3,500 miles per hour.

Nova 2 was unveiled outside the university's Maxwell Building.