This week sees the launch of the AXE Apollo Space Academy (A.A.S.A) campaign for the Middle East and North Africa, encouraging aspiring astronauts to set up an online profile, compete for votes and win one of 13 tickets to fly to space.

Would-be space travellers can now sign up for the A.S.S.A by creating a profile at www.axeapollo.com, telling the world why they deserve to go to space. The profiles will be voted on by visitors to the site, and those that receive the highest number will win a place at the AXE Global Space Camp in Orlando, where the final 13 will be selected after a series of gruelling space simulation challenges.

"Space travel for everyone is the next frontier in the human experience," said Buzz Aldrin, astronaut and pilot of the historic Apollo 11 spacecraft that landed on the moon in 1969.

"I'm thrilled that AXE is giving the young people of today such an extraordinary opportunity to experience some of what I've encountered in space."

As the ultimate travel experience, the 13 winners will be rocketed into sub-orbit on board a Space Expedition Corporation (SXC) spacecraft.

www.axeapollo.com