If the project is approved, engineers would hope to have the propulsion unit, or service module, ready to fly on the American rocket's first test flight.

BBC: European tech could propel Nasa's Orion capsule

There is currently some uncertainty over whether the Ares 1 rocket will ever fly.

BBC: Test ignition for 'Moon rocket'

But ATK and Astrium believe their experience means they could have the 90m-high (300ft) Liberty rocket ready to fly by 2013, and operational with astronauts on board by 2015.

BBC: New rocket could lift astronauts

Before being chosen in 1962 as one of the "Group II" astronauts -- which included Apollo 13 commander James Lovell along with such legends as Frank Borman, Pete Conrad and John Young -- Armstrong was one of the elite pilots selected to fly the X-15 rocket plane up to five times the speed of sound and toward the edge of space.

CNN: Neil Armstrong, a hero who shunned fame

In one game, Pilotwings Resort, I controlled a Mii wearing a rocket belt, and had to fly around a landscape, navigating obstacles and popping balloons by colliding with them.

FORBES: Hands On With The Nintendo 3DS

Boeing has progressed to final design stages for its CST-100 vehicle, a capsule that will fly atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, which has a proven track record launching unmanned satellites.

FORBES: Rescuing NASA From Terminal Public Apathy

As they rocket past, you will see for yourself how penguins really can fly.

BBC: Getting personal with penguins in Antarctica

Passengers will ride the rocket plane for the fun of it, but scientists would use it for the same reasons they also fly experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) or on sounding rockets - to access microgravity conditions.

BBC: Virgin spaceship aims to be science lab