Space tourism is the recent phenomenon of tourists paying for flights into space.
As of 2009, orbital space tourism opportunities are limited and expensive, with only the
Russian Space Agency providing transport. The price for a flight brokered by Space Adventures
to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft is US$20–35 million.
The space tourists usually sign contracts with third parties to conduct certain research
while in orbit. This helps to minimize their own expenses.
Infrastructure for a suborbital space tourism industry is being developed through
the construction of spaceports in numerous locations, including California, Oklahoma,
New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, Alaska, Wisconsin, Esrange in Sweden as well as the United
Arab Emirates. Some use the term "personal spaceflight" as in the case of the Personal
Spaceflight Federation.
A number of startup companies have sprung up in recent years, hoping to create a space
tourism industry. For a list of such companies, and the spacecraft they are currently building,
see list of space tourism companies.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Early dreams
After early successes in space, much of the public saw intensive space exploration as inevitable.
Those aspirations are remembered in science fiction such as Arthur C. Clarke's A Fall of
Moondust and also 2001: A Space Odyssey, Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator,
Joanna Russ's 1968 novel Picnic on Paradise, and Larry Niven's Known Space stories.
Lucian in 2 A.D. in his book True History examines the idea of a crew of men whose ship
travels to the Moon during a storm. Jules Verne also took up the theme of lunar visits in
his books, From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon. Robert A. Heinlein’s short story
The Menace from Earth, published in 1957, was one of the first to incorporate elements of a
developed space tourism industry within its framework. During the 1960s and 1970s,
it was common belief that space hotels would be launched by 2000. Many futurologists
around the middle of the 20th century speculated that the average family of the early 21st
century would be able to enjoy a holiday on the Moon. In the 1960s, Pan Am established a
waiting list for future flights to the moon, issuing free "First Moon Flights Club"
membership cards to those who requested them.
Those aspirations are remembered in science fiction such as Arthur C. Clarke's A Fall of
Moondust and also 2001: A Space Odyssey, Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator,
Joanna Russ's 1968 novel Picnic on Paradise, and Larry Niven's Known Space stories.
Lucian in 2 A.D. in his book True History examines the idea of a crew of men whose ship
travels to the Moon during a storm. Jules Verne also took up the theme of lunar visits in
his books, From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon. Robert A. Heinlein’s short story
The Menace from Earth, published in 1957, was one of the first to incorporate elements of a
developed space tourism industry within its framework. During the 1960s and 1970s,
it was common belief that space hotels would be launched by 2000. Many futurologists
around the middle of the 20th century speculated that the average family of the early 21st
century would be able to enjoy a holiday on the Moon. In the 1960s, Pan Am established a
waiting list for future flights to the moon, issuing free "First Moon Flights Club"
membership cards to those who requested them.
Orbital space tourism
At the end of the 1990s, MirCorp, a private venture by then in charge of the space station,
began seeking potential space tourists to visit Mir in order to offset some of its maintenance
costs. Dennis Tito, an American businessman and former JPL scientist, became their first
candidate. When the decision to de-orbit Mir was made, Tito managed to switch his trip to
the International Space Station through a deal between MirCorp and U.S.-based Space Adventures,
Ltd., despite strong opposition from senior figures at NASA. Space Adventures remains the
only company to have sent paying passengers to space.
In conjunction with the Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation and Rocket and
Space Corporation (Energia), Space Adventures facilitated the flights for all of the
world's first private space explorers. The first three participants paid in excess of
$20 million (USD) each for their 10-day visit to the ISS.
On April 28, 2001, Dennis Tito became the first "fee-paying" space tourist when he visited
the International Space Station (ISS) for seven days. He was followed in 2002 by South African
After the Columbia disaster, space tourism on the Russian Soyuz program was temporarily
put on hold, because Soyuz vehicles became the only available transport to the ISS.
However, in 2006, space tourism was resumed. On September 18, 2006, Anousheh Ansari,
an Iranian American (Soyuz TMA-9), became the fourth space tourist
(she prefers "private space explorer"). On April 7, 2007, Charles Simonyi,
an American billionaire of Hungarian descent, joined their ranks (Soyuz TMA-10).
In 2003, NASA and the Russian Space Agency agreed to use the term 'Spaceflight Participant'
to distinguish those space travelers from astronauts on missions coordinated by those two agencies.
Tito, Shuttleworth, Olsen, Ansari, and Simonyi were designated as such during their
respective space flights. NASA also lists Christa McAuliffe as a "Space Flight Participant"
(although she did not pay a fee), apparently due to her non-technical duties aboard
the STS-51-L flight.
The end of the Space Race, however, signified by the Moon landing, decreased the emphasis
placed on space exploration by national governments and therefore led to decreased demands
for public funding of manned space flights.
began seeking potential space tourists to visit Mir in order to offset some of its maintenance
costs. Dennis Tito, an American businessman and former JPL scientist, became their first
candidate. When the decision to de-orbit Mir was made, Tito managed to switch his trip to
the International Space Station through a deal between MirCorp and U.S.-based Space Adventures,
Ltd., despite strong opposition from senior figures at NASA. Space Adventures remains the
only company to have sent paying passengers to space.
In conjunction with the Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation and Rocket and
Space Corporation (Energia), Space Adventures facilitated the flights for all of the
world's first private space explorers. The first three participants paid in excess of
$20 million (USD) each for their 10-day visit to the ISS.
On April 28, 2001, Dennis Tito became the first "fee-paying" space tourist when he visited
the International Space Station (ISS) for seven days. He was followed in 2002 by South African
After the Columbia disaster, space tourism on the Russian Soyuz program was temporarily
put on hold, because Soyuz vehicles became the only available transport to the ISS.
However, in 2006, space tourism was resumed. On September 18, 2006, Anousheh Ansari,
an Iranian American (Soyuz TMA-9), became the fourth space tourist
(she prefers "private space explorer"). On April 7, 2007, Charles Simonyi,
an American billionaire of Hungarian descent, joined their ranks (Soyuz TMA-10).
In 2003, NASA and the Russian Space Agency agreed to use the term 'Spaceflight Participant'
to distinguish those space travelers from astronauts on missions coordinated by those two agencies.
Tito, Shuttleworth, Olsen, Ansari, and Simonyi were designated as such during their
respective space flights. NASA also lists Christa McAuliffe as a "Space Flight Participant"
(although she did not pay a fee), apparently due to her non-technical duties aboard
the STS-51-L flight.
The end of the Space Race, however, signified by the Moon landing, decreased the emphasis
placed on space exploration by national governments and therefore led to decreased demands
for public funding of manned space flights.
Suborbital flights
More affordable suborbital space tourism is viewed as a money-making proposition by several
other companies, including Space Adventures, Virgin Galactic, Starchaser, Blue Origin,
Armadillo Aerospace, XCOR Aerospace, Rocketplane Limited, the European "Project Enterprise",
and others. Most are proposing vehicles that make suborbital flights peaking at an
altitude of 100-160 kilometres. Passengers would experience three to six minutes of
weightlessness, a view of a twinkle-free starfield, and a vista of the curved Earth below.
Projected costs are expected to be about $200,000 per passenger.
As of November 2007 Virgin Galactic had pre-sold nearly 200 seats for their suborbital
space tourism flights, according to the company's president.
other companies, including Space Adventures, Virgin Galactic, Starchaser, Blue Origin,
Armadillo Aerospace, XCOR Aerospace, Rocketplane Limited, the European "Project Enterprise",
and others. Most are proposing vehicles that make suborbital flights peaking at an
altitude of 100-160 kilometres. Passengers would experience three to six minutes of
weightlessness, a view of a twinkle-free starfield, and a vista of the curved Earth below.
Projected costs are expected to be about $200,000 per passenger.
As of November 2007 Virgin Galactic had pre-sold nearly 200 seats for their suborbital
space tourism flights, according to the company's president.
Project Enterprise
Project Enterprise was launched by the German TALIS Institute in 2004 and is the first project
of its kind in Europe. The goal is to develop a rocket-propelled spaceplane by 2011 that
will carry one pilot and up to five passengers into suborbital space. The plane will launch
from the ground using rockets, and will return in an unpowered flight like Virgin Galactic's
SpaceShipTwo. The prototypes and finished spaceplane will be launched from an airport near
Cochstedt (Germany; Saxony-Anhalt).
Since 2004, the TALIS Institute has gained many industrial partners, including XtremeAir,
who will manufacture the airframe, and Swiss Propulsion Laboratory SPL,
who will deliver the propulsion components. XtremeAir is known for their acrobatic airplanes,
and SPL has designed and tested liquid propellant rocket engines since 1998.
Current work is focusing on the first prototype, the "Black Sky": An existing acrobatic
airplane that would be fitted with a single rocket engine and a new wing. The rocket engine
is expected to deliver a thrust of 10 kN. The test program for this engine started in 2007
at SPL and is expected to fly by 2010.
of its kind in Europe. The goal is to develop a rocket-propelled spaceplane by 2011 that
will carry one pilot and up to five passengers into suborbital space. The plane will launch
from the ground using rockets, and will return in an unpowered flight like Virgin Galactic's
SpaceShipTwo. The prototypes and finished spaceplane will be launched from an airport near
Cochstedt (Germany; Saxony-Anhalt).
Since 2004, the TALIS Institute has gained many industrial partners, including XtremeAir,
who will manufacture the airframe, and Swiss Propulsion Laboratory SPL,
who will deliver the propulsion components. XtremeAir is known for their acrobatic airplanes,
and SPL has designed and tested liquid propellant rocket engines since 1998.
Current work is focusing on the first prototype, the "Black Sky": An existing acrobatic
airplane that would be fitted with a single rocket engine and a new wing. The rocket engine
is expected to deliver a thrust of 10 kN. The test program for this engine started in 2007
at SPL and is expected to fly by 2010.
Legality United States
In December 2005, the U.S. Government released a set of proposed rules for space tourism.
These included screening procedures and training for emergency situations, but not
health requirements.
Under current US law, any company proposing to launch paying passengers from American soil
on a suborbital rocket must receive a license from the Federal Aviation Administration's
Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA/AST). The licensing process focuses on
public safety and safety of property, and the details can be found in the Code of
Federal Regulations, Title 14, Chapter III. This is in accordance with the
Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act passed by Congress in 2004.
These included screening procedures and training for emergency situations, but not
health requirements.
Under current US law, any company proposing to launch paying passengers from American soil
on a suborbital rocket must receive a license from the Federal Aviation Administration's
Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA/AST). The licensing process focuses on
public safety and safety of property, and the details can be found in the Code of
Federal Regulations, Title 14, Chapter III. This is in accordance with the
Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act passed by Congress in 2004.
Orbital flights, space stations and space hotels
* EADS Astrium, a subsidiary of European aerospace giant EADS, announced its space tourism
project on June 13, 2007.
* SpaceX is a private space company which is developing their own rocket family called
Falcon and a capsule named Dragon, capable of sending up to 7 people to any space station,
either ISS or a possible station by Bigelow Aerospace. Falcon 1 has already undertaken
testflights and successfully completed its first commercial flight on July 14, 2009,
deploying the Malaysian RazakSAT into orbit. Falcon 9 (which will be the rocket for
the Dragon capsule) is currently in vertical position at Space Launch Complex 40 in
Cape Canaveral, and will make its first testflight in late 2009.[citation needed] An
initial prototype of the Dragon capsule is expected to be used on this test flight;
SpaceX anticipates that Dragon could be qualified for human spaceflight within 3 years
of the receipt of NASA CCDV funding.
* Space Adventures Ltd. have also announced that they are working on circumlunar
missions to the moon, with the price per passenger being $100,000,000. They are
currently developing spaceports at the United Arab Emirates (Ras al-Khaimah) and in
Singapore.
* Orbital space tourist flights are also being planned[when?] by Excalibur Almaz,
using modernized TKS space capsules.
Several plans have been proposed for using a space station as a hotel.
American motel tycoon Robert Bigelow has acquired the designs for
inflatable space habitats from the Transhab program abandoned by NASA.
His company, Bigelow Aerospace, has already launched two first inflatable
habitat modules. The first, named Genesis I, was launched 12 July 2006.
The second test module, Genesis II, was launched 28 June 2007. Both Genesis
habitats remain in orbit as of mid-2009. As of 2006, Bigelow planned to officially
launch the first commercial space station by 2012 (tagged Nautilus) which will have
330 cubic meters (almost as big as the ISS's 425 cubic meters of usable volume).
Bigelow Aerospace is currently offering the America's Space Prize, a $50 million
prize to the first US company to create a reusable spacecraft capable of carrying
passengers to a Nautilus space station.
Other companies have also expressed interest in constructing "space hotels".
For example, Excalibur Almaz plans to modernize and launch its Soviet-era Almaz
space stations, which will feature the largest windows ever on spacecraft.
Virgin's Richard Branson has expressed his hope for the
construction of a space hotel within his lifetime. He expects that beginning
a space tourism program will cost $100 million. Hilton International announced
the Space Islands Project, a plan to connect together used space shuttle fuel tanks,
each the diameter of a Boeing 747 aircraft. A separate organization, Space Island Group
announced their distinct Space Island Project (note the singular "Island"),
and plans on having 20,000 people on their "space island" by 2020, with the number
of people doubling for each decade. British Airways has expressed interest in the venture.
If and when Space Hotels develop, it would initially cost a passenger $60,000, with prices
lowering over time.
Fashion designer Eri Matsui has designed clothing, including a wedding gown,
intended to look best in weightless environments
project on June 13, 2007.
* SpaceX is a private space company which is developing their own rocket family called
Falcon and a capsule named Dragon, capable of sending up to 7 people to any space station,
either ISS or a possible station by Bigelow Aerospace. Falcon 1 has already undertaken
testflights and successfully completed its first commercial flight on July 14, 2009,
deploying the Malaysian RazakSAT into orbit. Falcon 9 (which will be the rocket for
the Dragon capsule) is currently in vertical position at Space Launch Complex 40 in
Cape Canaveral, and will make its first testflight in late 2009.[citation needed] An
initial prototype of the Dragon capsule is expected to be used on this test flight;
SpaceX anticipates that Dragon could be qualified for human spaceflight within 3 years
of the receipt of NASA CCDV funding.
* Space Adventures Ltd. have also announced that they are working on circumlunar
missions to the moon, with the price per passenger being $100,000,000. They are
currently developing spaceports at the United Arab Emirates (Ras al-Khaimah) and in
Singapore.
* Orbital space tourist flights are also being planned[when?] by Excalibur Almaz,
using modernized TKS space capsules.
Several plans have been proposed for using a space station as a hotel.
American motel tycoon Robert Bigelow has acquired the designs for
inflatable space habitats from the Transhab program abandoned by NASA.
His company, Bigelow Aerospace, has already launched two first inflatable
habitat modules. The first, named Genesis I, was launched 12 July 2006.
The second test module, Genesis II, was launched 28 June 2007. Both Genesis
habitats remain in orbit as of mid-2009. As of 2006, Bigelow planned to officially
launch the first commercial space station by 2012 (tagged Nautilus) which will have
330 cubic meters (almost as big as the ISS's 425 cubic meters of usable volume).
Bigelow Aerospace is currently offering the America's Space Prize, a $50 million
prize to the first US company to create a reusable spacecraft capable of carrying
passengers to a Nautilus space station.
Other companies have also expressed interest in constructing "space hotels".
For example, Excalibur Almaz plans to modernize and launch its Soviet-era Almaz
space stations, which will feature the largest windows ever on spacecraft.
Virgin's Richard Branson has expressed his hope for the
construction of a space hotel within his lifetime. He expects that beginning
a space tourism program will cost $100 million. Hilton International announced
the Space Islands Project, a plan to connect together used space shuttle fuel tanks,
each the diameter of a Boeing 747 aircraft. A separate organization, Space Island Group
announced their distinct Space Island Project (note the singular "Island"),
and plans on having 20,000 people on their "space island" by 2020, with the number
of people doubling for each decade. British Airways has expressed interest in the venture.
If and when Space Hotels develop, it would initially cost a passenger $60,000, with prices
lowering over time.
Fashion designer Eri Matsui has designed clothing, including a wedding gown,
intended to look best in weightless environments
Advocacy, education, and industry organizations
Several organizations have been formed to promote the space tourism industry,
including the Space Tourism Society, and others. More information
about the future of Space Tourism can be found at Space Tourism Lecture,
which is a free online Space Tourism Lecture handout collection.
Since 2003 Dr. Robert A. Goehlich and Pierluigi Polignano teaches
the world's first and only Space Tourism class at Keio University, Yokohama, Japan.
UniGalactic Space Travel Magazine is a bi-monthly educational publication covering
space tourism and space exploration developments in companies like SpaceX,
Orbital Sciences, Virgin Galactic and organizations like NASA. The content
of UniGalactic Space Travel Magazine can be found on UniGalactic web site.
including the Space Tourism Society, and others. More information
about the future of Space Tourism can be found at Space Tourism Lecture,
which is a free online Space Tourism Lecture handout collection.
Since 2003 Dr. Robert A. Goehlich and Pierluigi Polignano teaches
the world's first and only Space Tourism class at Keio University, Yokohama, Japan.
UniGalactic Space Travel Magazine is a bi-monthly educational publication covering
space tourism and space exploration developments in companies like SpaceX,
Orbital Sciences, Virgin Galactic and organizations like NASA. The content
of UniGalactic Space Travel Magazine can be found on UniGalactic web site.
Opinions of commercial space tourism
A web-based survey suggested that over 70% of those surveyed wanted less than or equal to 2
weeks in space; in addition, 88% wanted to spacewalk (only 74% of these would do it for
a 50% premium), and 21% wanted a hotel or space station.
The concept has met with some criticism from bureaucrats, notably G?nter Verheugen,
vice-president of the European Commission, who said of the EADS Astrium Space Tourism
Project "It's only for the super rich, which is against my social convictions".
weeks in space; in addition, 88% wanted to spacewalk (only 74% of these would do it for
a 50% premium), and 21% wanted a hotel or space station.
The concept has met with some criticism from bureaucrats, notably G?nter Verheugen,
vice-president of the European Commission, who said of the EADS Astrium Space Tourism
Project "It's only for the super rich, which is against my social convictions".
Objections to "space tourist" terminology
Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth, Gregory Olsen, Anousheh Ansari and Richard Garriott
have all expressed a preference to be called something other than "space tourist".
In each case, they explained their preferences by pointing out that they carried out
scientific experiments as part of their journey; Garriott additionally emphasized their
training is identical to requirements of non-Russian Soyuz crew members, and that
teachers and other non-professional astronauts chosen to fly with NASA are called astronauts.
Garriott prefers "cosmonaut" or "astronaut", but will accept "private" in front of either.
Tito has asked to be known as an "independent researcher". Shuttleworth
proposed "pioneer of commercial space travel". Olsen preferred "private researcher."
Ansari prefers the term "private space explorer". Alone among those who have paid
to go to orbit so far, Charles Simonyi seems to have no concerns about calling it
"space tourism", even in reference to his own experience. Asked in an interview
"Do you foresee a day when space tourism is not just the province of billionaires - when
it will be as affordable as plane travel?", he did not object to the implicit categorization
of his own trip, but rather answered "Yes, the only question is when ...."
NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency agreed to use the term "spaceflight
participant" to distinguish those space travelers from astronauts on missions
coordinated by those two agencies.
Although many space enthusiasts subscribe to the notion of space tourism as a
potential burgeoning industry that could further the development and settlement of space,
some of these same enthusiasts object to the use of the term "space tourist".
Rick Tumlinson of the Space Frontier Foundation, for example, has said
"I hate the word tourist, and I always will .... 'Tourist' is somebody
in a flowered shirt with three cameras around his neck."
Others with perhaps less enthusiasm for space development seem to agree.
Alex Tabarrok has categorized it as a kind of "adventure travel".
The mere fact of people paying for a travel experience does not,
in his view, make that activity "tourism".
"At best and for the foreseeable future space travel will remain akin to
climbing Everest, dangerous and uncommon. Yes, we might see 100 flights a year
but that's not space tourism - tourism is fat guys with cameras."
have all expressed a preference to be called something other than "space tourist".
In each case, they explained their preferences by pointing out that they carried out
scientific experiments as part of their journey; Garriott additionally emphasized their
training is identical to requirements of non-Russian Soyuz crew members, and that
teachers and other non-professional astronauts chosen to fly with NASA are called astronauts.
Garriott prefers "cosmonaut" or "astronaut", but will accept "private" in front of either.
Tito has asked to be known as an "independent researcher". Shuttleworth
proposed "pioneer of commercial space travel". Olsen preferred "private researcher."
Ansari prefers the term "private space explorer". Alone among those who have paid
to go to orbit so far, Charles Simonyi seems to have no concerns about calling it
"space tourism", even in reference to his own experience. Asked in an interview
"Do you foresee a day when space tourism is not just the province of billionaires - when
it will be as affordable as plane travel?", he did not object to the implicit categorization
of his own trip, but rather answered "Yes, the only question is when ...."
NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency agreed to use the term "spaceflight
participant" to distinguish those space travelers from astronauts on missions
coordinated by those two agencies.
Although many space enthusiasts subscribe to the notion of space tourism as a
potential burgeoning industry that could further the development and settlement of space,
some of these same enthusiasts object to the use of the term "space tourist".
Rick Tumlinson of the Space Frontier Foundation, for example, has said
"I hate the word tourist, and I always will .... 'Tourist' is somebody
in a flowered shirt with three cameras around his neck."
Others with perhaps less enthusiasm for space development seem to agree.
Alex Tabarrok has categorized it as a kind of "adventure travel".
The mere fact of people paying for a travel experience does not,
in his view, make that activity "tourism".
"At best and for the foreseeable future space travel will remain akin to
climbing Everest, dangerous and uncommon. Yes, we might see 100 flights a year
but that's not space tourism - tourism is fat guys with cameras."
Space ship two
Scaled Composites' Model 339 SpaceShipTwo (SS2) is a
suborbital spaceplane for carrying space tourists, under
development by The Spaceship Company, a joint venture between Scaled Composites and
Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group, as part of the Tier 1b program.
The spaceship was officially unveiled to the public on Monday, 7 December 2009,
at the Mojave Air and Spaceport in California. The Virgin Galactic spaceline plans
to operate a fleet of five of these craft in passenger-carrying private spaceflight
service starting no earlier than 2011
he SpaceShipTwo project is based in part on technology developed for
SpaceShipOne as part of the Scaled Composites Tier One program, funded by Paul Allen.
The Spaceship Company licenses this technology from Mojave Aerospace Ventures,
a joint venture of the Paul Allen and Burt Rutan, the designer of the predecessor technology.
SpaceShipTwo will carry passengers to space; the capacity will be
eight people: six passengers and two pilots. The apogee of the new craft
will be approximately 110 km (68 miles) and in the thermosphere, 10 km (6 miles)
higher than both the SpaceShipOne target (though the last flight of the SpaceShipOne
reached 112 km), and the K?rm?n line. SpaceShipTwo will reach 4,200 km/h (2,600 mph),
using a single hybrid rocket motor (as seen in the technical diagram). It will launch
at 15,200 m (50,000 ft) from its mother ship, White Knight Two, and go supersonic within 8 seconds.
After 70 seconds, the rocket motors cut out and the spacecraft will coast to it's peak altitude.
SpaceShipTwo's crew cabin is 3.66 m (12 ft) long and 2.28 m (7.5 ft) in diameter.
The wing span is 8.23 m (27 ft), the length is 18.29 m (60 ft) and the tail height is 4.57 m (15 ft).
suborbital spaceplane for carrying space tourists, under
development by The Spaceship Company, a joint venture between Scaled Composites and
Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group, as part of the Tier 1b program.
The spaceship was officially unveiled to the public on Monday, 7 December 2009,
at the Mojave Air and Spaceport in California. The Virgin Galactic spaceline plans
to operate a fleet of five of these craft in passenger-carrying private spaceflight
service starting no earlier than 2011
he SpaceShipTwo project is based in part on technology developed for
SpaceShipOne as part of the Scaled Composites Tier One program, funded by Paul Allen.
The Spaceship Company licenses this technology from Mojave Aerospace Ventures,
a joint venture of the Paul Allen and Burt Rutan, the designer of the predecessor technology.
SpaceShipTwo will carry passengers to space; the capacity will be
eight people: six passengers and two pilots. The apogee of the new craft
will be approximately 110 km (68 miles) and in the thermosphere, 10 km (6 miles)
higher than both the SpaceShipOne target (though the last flight of the SpaceShipOne
reached 112 km), and the K?rm?n line. SpaceShipTwo will reach 4,200 km/h (2,600 mph),
using a single hybrid rocket motor (as seen in the technical diagram). It will launch
at 15,200 m (50,000 ft) from its mother ship, White Knight Two, and go supersonic within 8 seconds.
After 70 seconds, the rocket motors cut out and the spacecraft will coast to it's peak altitude.
SpaceShipTwo's crew cabin is 3.66 m (12 ft) long and 2.28 m (7.5 ft) in diameter.
The wing span is 8.23 m (27 ft), the length is 18.29 m (60 ft) and the tail height is 4.57 m (15 ft).
Flight test program
In October 2009, Virgin Galactic CEO Will Whitehorn outlined the flight test program
for SpaceShipTwo. The test program will include seven phases: vehicle ground testing,
captive carry under WhiteKnightTwo, unpowered glide testing, subsonic testing with only
a brief firing of the rocket, supersonic atmospheric testing, then rocket into suborbital space,
and finally execute a detailed and lengthy process with US Federal government regulator
FAA/AST to demonstrate system robustness and eventually obtain a commercial launch license to
begin commercial operations.
for SpaceShipTwo. The test program will include seven phases: vehicle ground testing,
captive carry under WhiteKnightTwo, unpowered glide testing, subsonic testing with only
a brief firing of the rocket, supersonic atmospheric testing, then rocket into suborbital space,
and finally execute a detailed and lengthy process with US Federal government regulator
FAA/AST to demonstrate system robustness and eventually obtain a commercial launch license to
begin commercial operations.
Spacecraft
Five vehicles have been ordered by Virgin Galactic. As of October 2007,
only the first two have been named, the VSS (Virgin Space Ship) Enterprise,
and the VSS Voyager. Both are in development.
1. VSS Enterprise (2009)
2. VSS Voyager
3. Not yet Named
4. Not yet Named
5. Not yet Named
only the first two have been named, the VSS (Virgin Space Ship) Enterprise,
and the VSS Voyager. Both are in development.
1. VSS Enterprise (2009)
2. VSS Voyager
3. Not yet Named
4. Not yet Named
5. Not yet Named
Flight
More than 65,000 would-be space tourists have applied for the first batch of 100 tickets.
The price will initially be $200,000. The duration of the flights will be approximately
2.5 hours, though only a few minutes of that will be in space.
In December 2007 Virgin Galactic had 200 paid-up applicants on its books for the early flights,
and 95% were passing the 6-8 g centrifuge tests.
The price will initially be $200,000. The duration of the flights will be approximately
2.5 hours, though only a few minutes of that will be in space.
In December 2007 Virgin Galactic had 200 paid-up applicants on its books for the early flights,
and 95% were passing the 6-8 g centrifuge tests.
Landing
SpaceShipTwo will decelerate through the atmosphere, switching to a gliding position at
80,000ft and will take 25 minutes to glide back to the spaceport. Once the passengers return,
their passports will receive a spaceflight stamp and they will be awarded their astronaut wings at an awards ceremony.
They will also be able to relive their flight from footage filmed during the spaceflight.
80,000ft and will take 25 minutes to glide back to the spaceport. Once the passengers return,
their passports will receive a spaceflight stamp and they will be awarded their astronaut wings at an awards ceremony.
They will also be able to relive their flight from footage filmed during the spaceflight.
Launched
The SpaceShipTwo craft will take off from the Mojave Spaceport in California during testing.
Spaceport America (formerly Southwest Regional Spaceport), a US$200 million spaceport in
New Mexico partly funded by the state government, will become the permanent
launch site when commercial launches begin. The company is also exploring launches from
spaceports in Saudi Arabia[verification needed] and the UK.
Spaceport America (formerly Southwest Regional Spaceport), a US$200 million spaceport in
New Mexico partly funded by the state government, will become the permanent
launch site when commercial launches begin. The company is also exploring launches from
spaceports in Saudi Arabia[verification needed] and the UK.
Flight test program
In October 2009, Virgin Galactic CEO Will Whitehorn outlined the flight test program
for SpaceShipTwo. The test program will include seven phases: vehicle ground testing,
captive carry under WhiteKnightTwo, unpowered glide testing, subsonic testing with only
a brief firing of the rocket, supersonic atmospheric testing, then rocket into suborbital space,
and finally execute a detailed and lengthy process with US Federal government regulator
FAA/AST to demonstrate system robustness and eventually obtain a commercial launch license to
begin commercial operations.
for SpaceShipTwo. The test program will include seven phases: vehicle ground testing,
captive carry under WhiteKnightTwo, unpowered glide testing, subsonic testing with only
a brief firing of the rocket, supersonic atmospheric testing, then rocket into suborbital space,
and finally execute a detailed and lengthy process with US Federal government regulator
FAA/AST to demonstrate system robustness and eventually obtain a commercial launch license to
begin commercial operations.
Space Tourism
Space tourism is the recent phenomenon of tourists paying for flights into space.
As of 2009, orbital space tourism opportunities are limited and expensive, with only the
Russian Space Agency providing transport. The price for a flight brokered by Space Adventures
to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft is US$20–35 million.
The space tourists usually sign contracts with third parties to conduct certain research
while in orbit. This helps to minimize their own expenses.
Infrastructure for a suborbital space tourism industry is being developed through
the construction of spaceports in numerous locations, including California, Oklahoma,
New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, Alaska, Wisconsin, Esrange in Sweden as well as the United
Arab Emirates. Some use the term "personal spaceflight" as in the case of the Personal
Spaceflight Federation.
A number of startup companies have sprung up in recent years, hoping to create a space
tourism industry. For a list of such companies, and the spacecraft they are currently building,
see list of space tourism companies.
As of 2009, orbital space tourism opportunities are limited and expensive, with only the
Russian Space Agency providing transport. The price for a flight brokered by Space Adventures
to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft is US$20–35 million.
The space tourists usually sign contracts with third parties to conduct certain research
while in orbit. This helps to minimize their own expenses.
Infrastructure for a suborbital space tourism industry is being developed through
the construction of spaceports in numerous locations, including California, Oklahoma,
New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, Alaska, Wisconsin, Esrange in Sweden as well as the United
Arab Emirates. Some use the term "personal spaceflight" as in the case of the Personal
Spaceflight Federation.
A number of startup companies have sprung up in recent years, hoping to create a space
tourism industry. For a list of such companies, and the spacecraft they are currently building,
see list of space tourism companies.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
