Young hopefuls compete to become first black African in space

In half a century of space travel, more than 500 people have glimpsed the Earth from the unique vantage point of the cosmos. Yet no black African has been among them.

Now a Nigerian and two South Africans are in a race to become the first after being shortlisted in a global talent search to send a "young icon of the future" beyond the Earth's atmosphere.

The winner will undergo intense training, experiencing extreme G-forces and weightlessness, before taking off in US-developed XCOR's Lynx spacecraft on a voyage loosely planned for next year.