By CNN Travel staff <\/p>\n
updated 12:49 PM EST, Wed January 29, 2014 <\/p>\n
Sorry, thumbs down to a space flight if you're from the PRC. <\/p>\n
STORY HIGHLIGHTS <\/p>\n
(CNN) -- Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, has barred Chinese nationals from applying for spots on its first commercial flights. <\/p>\n
Cashed-up People's Republic of China passport holders have reportedly been willing to pay the $260,000 fare for a spot on the inaugural Virgin Galactic space flight scheduled for later this year, but have been turned down in order to comply with United States anti-espionage laws, the South China Morning Post reports. <\/p>\n
Rocket engines on the Virgin Galactic craft -- named SpaceShip Two and WhiteKnight Two -- are reportedly considered military grade technology under Cold War U.S. arms trafficking laws. <\/p>\n
The legislation was designed to prevent foreign powers, such as China, from getting hold of U.S. military tech secrets. <\/p>\n
\"Both SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnight Two are U.S. technology and are therefore subject to U.S. regulations,\" said Winnie Chan, a spokesperson for a Virgin Galactic accredited partner in Asia. <\/p>\n
Chinese nationals with multiple passports or U.S. residency might be considered for a place on the space trips, Virgin Galactic said. <\/p>\n
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Space, the final frontier? Not for Chinese on Virgin Galactic<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By CNN Travel staff updated 12:49 PM EST, Wed January 29, 2014 Sorry, thumbs down to a space flight if you're from the PRC. STORY HIGHLIGHTS (CNN) -- Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, has barred Chinese nationals from applying for spots on its first commercial flights. Cashed-up People's Republic of China passport holders have reportedly been willing to pay the $260,000 fare for a spot on the inaugural Virgin Galactic space flight scheduled for later this year, but have been turned down in order to comply with United States anti-espionage laws, the South China Morning Post reports. Continue reading