If you've always dreamt of diving down to 20,000 leagues under the sea, then news of Virgin's new "underwater plane" will be music to your ears, though perhaps not to your wallet.

The Necker Nymph, Virgin Limited Edition's DeepFlight three-person aero-submarine (what a mouthful...), is an open cockpit winged sub that will take tourists down to the ocean floor on an underwater flight to explore shipwrecks, swim side-by-side with dolphins, or cruise along with whales. Needless to say, it is the first of its kind on the market.

Capable of diving down to depths of 36,000 feet Necker Nymph has the flexibility to glide peacefully over reefs or up the excitement ante with 360 degree turns. The open cockpits afford near ideal 360 degree viewing for passengers, creating a uniquely open experience. Dives can last up to two hours.

Like all DeepFlight subs, Necker Nymph has near-zero environmental impact: it won't land on precious reefs and has low light and noise emissions to keep ocean ecosystems from being disturbed.

Necker Nymph is available either when chartering Necker Belle, Virgin's luxury 105 foot catamaran (weekly charter costs U.S. $88,000), or when staying on Richard Branson's Necker Island. When taking Necker Belle for 7-nights' exclusive hire, the sub is available at an additional weekly rate of US$ 25,000.

Images via Virgin Limited Edition.

Virgin Galatic has unveiled the second design its space launch system. The new "environmentally benign" sub-orbital vehicles are aptly named SpaceShipTwo and White Knight Two.

Virgin Galactic has announced that "the mothership", or carrier aircraft, White Knight Two, is very close to completion and is expected to begin flight testing this summer. SpaceShipTwo is what paying Virgin Galatic passengers will actually fly in. Both are all carbon composite aircraft.

White Knight Two, the mothership (had to get that in here again), will launch SpaceShipTwo and its eight astronauts into space. Virgin Galactic says that whilst its first priority is facilitating human spaceflight it is also assessing the potential for unmanned launch capability.

Virgin Galatic has a unit of over 200 future astronauts, and around 85,000 individuals have registered interest in flying. The initial flight price is $200,000.

Sir Richard Branson is causing controversy again today with the announcement that Virgin Atlantic is to sell carbon offsets from its duty free trolleys alongside discounted perfume and alcohol.

The idea is to guilt trip passengers into coughing up to offset the damage done to the environment whilst they’re on-board. Virgin thinks this will be much more effective than the schemes that the likes of British Airways have in place; in July BA was criticised by the Commons Environmental Audit Committee for its scheme, which in 2006 sold only enough offsets to neutralise 0.01% of its emissions.

The price of Virgin’s offsets will vary according to the class of seat and the distance flown. London to New York in economy costs £5.33 one way. London to Sydney in business is £26.54 one way.

It seems Sir Richard believes that peer pressure will play a big part in ensuring Virgin passengers part with their cash. According to The Times a Virgin spokesman said that the airline expected a much higher take-up among its passengers than rival airlines’. “If the person sitting next to you chooses to offset their flight, it may prick your conscience and you may pay too.”

This all seems like easy relief. Instead of being pressured to part with a few pounds every time they take to the skies, perhaps air passengers should be encouraged to think about alternative and more eco-friendly ways they can travel instead. I can’t really see Virgin handing out that kind of information with cut-price perfume though, can you?