Curious locals have been discovering how a real space capsule can be converted for tourist trips into space.

Plans by an Isle of Man based firm to offer orbital trips by the year 2013 are generating a high level of interest.

And yesterday, Excalibur Almaz gave the public an opportunity to look inside a capsule when it went on display in the King William's College courtyard.

The company's vice president for technical operations, former astronaut Leroy Chiao, says the company has purchased three former Russian space capsules and two space stations in its latest space commerce venture (play audio file):

The space capsule will also be open to the general public from 11am to 4pm this coming Saturday and Sunday.