U.S., Feb. 18 -- According to chief designer of Russian NPO Aviation and Space Technologies Aleksandr Begak, Russia plans to send tourists to near-Earth orbit in private commercial spacecraft capable of launching from ordinary airfields.

He said that the first flights may start in five years and will cost about $200,000 to $300,000 per person.

According to Begak, a number of private companies are currently working on the unmanned spacecraft dubbed Selena Space Yacht. The works are conducted with the support of the National Technology Initiative's (NTI) AeroNet and SpaceNet working groups.

"We have an opportunity to land on any airfield, the device lands like an airplane. We now calculate the optimal time for space travel, a comfortable...