Sexy spacecraft

As he unveiled his new ­spacecraft to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other ­luminaries this week, ­Richard Branson described ­Virgin’s VSS Enterprise as “the sexiest ­spaceship ever”. It may be an ­engineering feat, but I’m not sure who, apart from model ­aeroplane enthusiasts, would find it a turn-on. To give you a ­little ­shuttle envy, here are a few of the world’s ­sexiest spacecraft. Is Branson’s the winner? You decide. Benjamin Teicher Photograph: Thierry Boccon-Gibod/Getty Images

Nasa's sleek Ares I-X test rocket. Photograph: John Raoux/AP

Saturn V, thrusting powerhouse of the Apollo missions. Photograph: Ralph Morse/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

Russia's macho Semyorka, an intercontinental ballistic missile that also launched … Photograph: Sergei Arssenev/Wikipedia

… the tactile Sputnik 1 Photograph: OFF/AFP/Getty Images

And finally, the gorgeous symmetry of the International Space Station. Photograph: guardian.co.uk