Would-be astronauts will soon be able to experience the thrills of a zero gravity flight for about 3000 euros - just under 4,000 U.S. dollars.

French space agency Novespace, part of the European space agency, is to offer the experience of a life-time starting next year (2009).

A U.S. based company have already been offering zero-gravity flights since 2006 but this will be a first for Europe.

Novospace will use the money they make from the flights to help pay for scientific research.

Hayley Platt reports