Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the world famous Guinness Beer, the owners of this awesome beverage have announced a contest, in which the 3 luck winners will get the chance of a lifetime to take a trip into the outer space in a suborbital Virgin Galactic spaceliner.

One of the most prestigious name in the aviation industry, Virgin Galactic was founded by British billionaire Sir Richard Branson. This one of a kind orbital experience would cost the passengers about $200,000. However, with the current contest, the winners would take this space age ride for free.

The ultra futuristic Virgin Galactic spaceliner will be launched from mid air and would be carried to a higher altitude by the WhiteKnightTwo mothership. After reaching a certain altitude, the spaceliner will enter the orbit on its own and give its crew of 2 pilots and 6 passengers a ride of their lives. Multiple launches of the Virgin Galactic spaceliner aboard the WhiteKnightTwo mothership and other space tourist flights are planned be executed from the terminal at Spaceport America in New Mexico. Spaceport in Kiruna, Sweden, has also been taken into consideration to maintain uninterrupted flight schedules.

Since the beginning of this year, the WhiteKnightTwo mothership nicknamed, ‘Eve’ has been running test flights for the final preparations of its maiden flight with Virgin Galactic Spaceliner.

According to the Guinness officials,

“The launch will catapult passengers beyond Earth’s atmosphere at nearly 2,500 mph (4,023 km/ph) — three times the speed of sound — to a point about 68 miles (109 km) above the planet. Once in space, passengers will have a view of the blackness of space and unbroken vistas of the Earth for 1,000 miles (1,609 km) in every direction before re-entering the atmosphere and gliding back to its home port.”

The ‘space to beer’ contest is currently running and will be open to all contestants till September 24th 2009. Apart from the free space ride, there are two other prizes that would be awarded to the winners. One being an undersea trip to a Guinness bar 229 feet (70 meters), that is located near the Lofoten Islands in Norway and the other being a private performance the band, Black Eyed Peas.

Via Fox News