N'Sync singer Lance Bass is to become the third space tourist, he has confirmed at a press conference at Nasa.

The 23-year-old is set to be the youngest ever astronaut when he goes to the International Space Station on 28 October.

Soviet cosmonaut German Titov was 25 when he blasted off in 1961.

"I'm so lucky to be able to go up," the singer told reporters on Thursday.

"I'm definitely not afraid. I know how the whole system works. I feel - not safe, its one of the most dangerous things you could possibly do - but I'm in good hands."

Bass began his training in Russia

He said he was taking the trip as a chance to help educate young people.

He has been training for months, both in Russia and at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and has been learning Russian in order to communicate with the Russian astronauts.

The trip had been in continued doubt, despite approval from Nasa earlier this week, as the Russians had been insisting that he come up with a "ticket price" of $20m (�12.9m).

Bass said he did not know how much money had been raised but that the effort to raise sponsorship from various TV and film production companies was still continuing.

There was a chance that if he was not fit he might still not be allowed to go into space, however.

"If it comes down to it and I'm not ready to go, I don't go," he said.

Safety briefings

"As far as my participation in this flight, I feel I can do what I have to do. By the time I go up hopefully it'll be a no-brainer."

He said he would be "very nervous" at the launch, but it would be "the thrill of a lifetime".

The other members of the band "had been very supportive", he added.

The star is also backed by Hollywood producer David Krieff.

US space agency Nasa approved the proposed space trip on Tuesday, while Bass was training at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

He has been training for his journey in a Russian Soyuz capsule with the rest of his crew, a Russian and a Belgian.

Approach

Nasa agreed to put him through essential safety briefings and simulation classes

A Nasa spokesperson said that the space agency had not changed its approach by choosing a member of a boy band to be the third space tourist, following South African tycoon Mark Shuttleworth and US businessman Dennis Tito.

"We had the opportunity to share information with someone with a profile like Lance Bass and to make the younger generation aware of what Nasa is providing the taxpayers," he said.

"There is nothing new in our approach to space flight participants. We are learning as we go."