Hollywood's Variety entertainment trade publication ran this innocuous article recently:

"Space Men Project Set For Launch"
By Chris Petrikin
HOLLYWOOD (Variety)

A 47-page book proposal based on a real-life group of five scientists who are trying to make commercial space travel possible before the year 2000 is being turned into a movie.

Management-production company Brillstein-Grey Entertainment optioned the film rights to "Unreasonable Men" from author Elizabeth Weil, who recently landed a publishing deal at Riverhead Books.

As part of the six figure option, Brillstein-Grey made a deal for the main character, Gary Hudson's life rights. Weil and Hudson also will serve as consultants on the project.

The proposal promises a story blending "The Soul of the New Machine" with "The Right Stuff" as Weil follows Hudson and his contrarian gang of rocket experts from 1997 to 1999 -- when they anticipate test flights of their reusable launch vehicles will begin.

This could put a whole new "spin" on public exposure to space tourism.