Mir: Cameron is not planning a trip to the Russian space station

Rae Sanchini, a spokesman for the director, confirmed Cameron had taken the trip ahead of two films he is producing and co-writing about the red planet.

But he denied rumours that the director was considering a trip to the Russian space station Mir.

"He did go up on the jet, that's true", Sanchini said.

"He will do whatever he can (to get the feel of space flight) because it's part of what his characters are going through," she added.

Cameron has a reputation in Hollywood as a perfectionist who will go to extreme lengths to get the shot he wants.

Sanchini poured scorn on a report on the web site Space.com, quoting an unnamed official in the Russian space industry as saying Cameron underwent medical tests and was cleared for a possible mission to Mir.

He said the rumours were sparked by a recent visit to Moscow by Cameron.

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The director flew on the Ilushin-76 jet, the Russian equivalent of a NASA jet, nicknamed the "vomit comet".

Sanchini said Cameron was "a huge fan of all space exploration efforts" and had also made a number of research trips to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

"I can't say the idea of going into space wouldn't appeal to him tremendously,'' she said.

"It's just right now he's busy working on these projects.''

Cameron is producing and co-writing two fictional Martian exploration films - a 3D film for Imax and a five-part mini series for the Fox TV network in America.

Last month the NBC TV network in America announced plans for a quiz show, Destination Mir, offering the winner a flight to the Mir space station.