What about hygiene during space tour, 8-yr-old asks Branson

Sceptics have voiced various concerns and doubts about grand plans to promote tourism in space, but hygiene is rarely one of them.

On Wednesday, Arhan Hegde, an eight-year-old city boy, seemed to have non-plussed maverick investor Richard Branson whose venture, Virgin Galactic, is among the firms seeking a pie of space travel.

"I would like to go to the international space station for a week, the only thing I am concerned about is hygiene," the boy said.

It left Branson and the audience at the event organised by his another firm, Virgin Atlantic, in splits.

The billionaire sought to assuage Hegde's worry, saying, "I promise that we will get it properly cleaned."