Bob Geldof to become 'first rocker in space'

Bob Geldof is all set to take off on a commercial flight out of the atmosphere next year.

The 61-year-old singer, who will fly 64 miles above the Earth's surface in a two-person Lynx Mark II spaceplane, was offered the trip after his band agreed to perform at a charity ball where flights into space will be auctioned off for good causes, the Mirror reported.

Geldof, who will be the first Irishman to fly out of atmosphere, will begin training this weekend in a simulator in Holland.

According to the Space Expedition Corporation, the flight will include several minutes of weightlessness.

Bob is one of 100 people signed up for trips. Victoria's Secret model Doutzen Kroes and DJ Armin van Buuren also have tickets.

It has been reported that the four-rocket plane will take off from a normal runway on the Caribbean isle of Curacao and will hit almost Mach 3 within three minutes at about 2,200mph after which the pilot will cut the engines and let the plane glide above the 62-mile mark where space begins.

The flight - organised by World Privilege Card - is expected to take one hour.