SpaceShipTwo will be unvield on Monday

Sir Richard Branson will unveil SpaceShipTwo, the rocket plane on Monday, in California. He will use to take fare-paying passengers into space, informs BBC News.

The vehicle will undergo testing over the next 18 months before being allowed to take ticketed individuals on short-hop trips just above the atmosphere.

Built from lightweight carbon composite materials and powered by a hybrid rocket motor, SS2 is based on the X-Prize-winning SpaceShipOne concept - a rocket plane that is lifted initially by a carrier vehicle before blasting skywards.

SS1 became the world`s first private spaceship with a series of high-altitude flights in 2004.

About 300 individuals are reported to have signed up for a flight. They are all willing to pay about $200,000 (£121,000) for the privilege of experiencing six minutes of weightlessness during what will be a two-hour end-to-end flight.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson will christen the spaceliner Virgin SpaceShip (VSS) Enterprise.