(FILES) File picture taken 10 December 2

JERUSALEM, -: (FILES) File picture taken 10 December 2006 shows World famous British scientist Stephen Hawking giving a lecture at the Bloomfield Museum of Science in Jerusalem, The Daily Telegraph said 08 January 2007 in an interview to mark his 65th birthday. The acclaimed British physicist Professor is planning a flight into space in 2009. Hawking's trip outside the earth's atmosphere depends on the progress of British tycoon Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic space tourism programme, which aims to carry passengers into low-Earth orbit from next year. AFP PHOTO/MENAHEM KAHANA/FILES (Photo credit should read MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)