California rocket firm has its first space tourist

A Danish adventurer is first in line to ride aboard a privately funded, two-seat rocket ship designed by a California rocket maker to fly about 37 miles (60 kilometers) above Earth.

Xcor Aerospace said Tuesday that Per Wimmer, an investment banker based in London, will be the first passenger aboard Lynx, a space tourism vehicle designed to take off and land like an airplane. He's also an investor in the Mojave, California-based company.

Wimmer hopes his flight will come in 2011, after a series of test flights. Officials said tickets are selling for $95,000 each and reservations have been made for 20 flights.

Xcor's main competitor is building SpaceShipTwo, an eight-seat craft that will take passengers some 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth for $200,000 each.