A company that brokered missions into space for two millionaire businessmen announced its plans on Wednesday to send two civilians at a time into space in the first mission intended solely for tourists.

　　Space Adventures, the Russian Aviation & Space Agency - the equivalent of NASA, and RSC Energia, Russia's leading aerospace company - announced an agreement to fly two tourists simultaneously to the International Space Station on a Soyuz spacecraft.

　　"We can do things like have a father and son or a bride and groom" explore space together, said Space Adventures CEO Eric Anderson.

　　The cost of the ride into space: US million each, said Anderson. A Russian cosmonaut would operate the spacecraft for the eight-to-10-day trip, scheduled for liftoff from Kazakhstan in early 2005.

　　About a dozen people have applied, and two will be selected in 60 to 90 days, the company said.

　　"Now, you can qualify to fly to the International Space Station withoutshavingsto be a career astronaut or cosmonaut," Space Adventures touts on its Website.

　　Applicants must undergo a rigorous medical examination and training session to qualify.

　　"After the loss of (space shuttle) Columbia, the president said that our journey into space must go on," said Anderson. "The advancement of commercial space flight and space tourism should and will continue, to everyone's advantage."

　　"Not everyone was meant to fly into space, but as we pass the 40th anniversary of the first manned space flight, Space Adventures is now giving private citizen explorers, like you, the opportunity to visit an orbiting space station," the company tells those interested on its Website.

　　The 7-year-old US-based company helped organize the flights of the world's first space tourists: American businessman Dennis Tito, who went in 2001, and South African Mark Shuttleworth, who flew last year.