Many people still think that to get the chance to go to space you’ve got to try to be an astronaut. The idea of Space Tourism isn’t at all familiar to most people, including the space industry, who are used to the idea that space is for research or military activities. Space offers unique pleasures including the view and zero gravity activities that provide a whole range of things to do on an orbital holiday – including space sports. Here’s a bit of news to entice you to start saving up for a space voyage. ‘Even though the double-digit million-dollar price of a ticket, Russia’s space tourism scheme has proven so popular that seats are sold out until 2009’, the head of the Russian Space Agency Anatoly Perminov said in an interview. They have a waiting list for those wishing to fly to the ISS (International Space Station).
Against payment of more than 20 million dollars apiece, Russia has already sent four tourists on around 10-day space cruises to the ISS aboard its Soyuz craft last September. To try and meet the growing appetite for space travel, Russian scientists are looking at a cheaper solution. However, in the so-called cheaper option, tourists would not be able to orbit around the earth but could stay in space for several minutes on sub-orbital vessels. Now that travel to orbit is becoming a commercial service, the question of how to get to space will be mainly one of saving up for a ticket – or looking for work in one of the many >space hotels that will be built! Just to let you know- Iranian-born US telecoms billionaire Anousheh Ansari is the world’s first female space tourist.
Tickets for a Space Voyage are all sold-out until 2009
