Ashton Kutcher to Board Virgin Galactic, Launch Into Space

Ashton Kutcher is about to take a serious hike, and not just out of the home he shared with Demi Moore.

The Two and a Half Men star has signed on to be the 500th future pedestrian astronaut, as he'll board a Virgin Galactic shuttle and join Richard Branson's dream of sending everyday people into space via the first-ever commercial, Milky Way-based airline.

Virgin Galactic Overview

"I gave Ashton a quick call to congratulate and welcome him," Branson wrote on his blog today. "He is as thrilled as we are at the prospect of being among the first to cross the final frontier (and back!) with us and to experience the magic of space for himself."

The Virgin Galactic program is based out of New Mexico and Branson - who plans to be on board the initial flight with his children - had set 2012 as the year in which he hopes to officially kick off the endeavor.

Let's just hope Kutcher takes his sitcom's awful jokes with him when he leaves.