Oklahoma space flight hopeful signs deal with Japanese group

Tuesday, February 7th 2006, 9:24 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ An Oklahoma company that hopes to offer commercial space flights next year has signed an agreement to take experiment specimens into space for a Japanese research firm.

The agreement between Rocketplane United and Hokkaido Aerospace Science and Technology Incubation Center allows the Japanese company to test how animals react to little or no gravity. The effects will be studied to help develop preventative medicine for future space travel.

Rocketplane will also launch satellites for the Japanese group.

The spaceplane will take off and land at the former Clinton Sherman Air Force Base in Burns Flat.