Up We Go: Space Adventures For the Risk Tolerant Explorer

by Susan Kime (RSS feed)
Dec 17th 2010 at 9:01AM

Many of us still view space travel as a Star Wars idea, something beyond reality, or at least the reality we know and are comfortable with. To many, the wild blue yonder is something to admire, not to fly into, much less OUT of. But there are some whose exploration interests take them really above and beyond, defining the ultimate form of risk tolerance, the result of a deeper form of human curiosity. Space Adventures enlivens and quenches that curiosity, as it is a company that arranges space flights for private citizens. And as of this year, 2010,it is the only company that has arranged space flights for self-funded individuals. At present, seven customers have flown a total of three months in space, and have traveled 36 million miles. But it is NOT cheap! Flights to the ISS (International Space Station) are approximately $40M. A mind-boggling amount. Yet, there are other adventures and experiences that cost less. Read on!

Recently, Space Adventures announced the opportunity for a private Soyuz mission. This private, orbital spaceflight will be a fully dedicated mission of the Soyuz-TMA spacecraft with two seats available for private space explorers, along with a comprehensive package of mission services. The first private mission to the ISS is offered to not only individual explorers, but also to businesses, organizations and institutions. Space Adventures' orbital spaceflight clients also have the availability to train, be certified and conduct an Extravehicular Activity (spacewalk) during their mission at the ISS. The 90 minute spacewalk would extend the client's stay at the station for approximately five days. The price for this is $15 million.

In addition, Space Adventures also provides microgravity flights to the public through its subsidiary Zero Gravity Corporation, which operates a modified Boeing 727 for this purpose. Over 6,000 people have taken flight including several hundred teachers through Northrup Grumman Foundation's Weightless Flights of Discovery program. Space Adventures also plans to provide suborbital spaceflights through a partnership with Armadillo Aerospace announced in April 2010, with a ticket price of $102,000. The company already has over 200 reservations for this flight.

Evidently, orbital spaceflight is exhilirating. When reaching Earth orbit, you are traveling through space at over 17,000 miles an hour, and are over 200 miles above the earth surface. At this speed and height, the explorers are weightless. All of Space Adventures' clients to date have flown on Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station, and for the next few years the Soyuz will remain the only viable way of reaching earth orbit. However, Space Adventures recently entered an agreement with Boeing to market seats on their new spacecraft, the CST-100, which is expected to be operational in 2015. Pricing for this adventure has yet to be determined.

But there are adventures do have prices and are less expensive than those above. Here is a list:

Zero Gravity Flights

The ZERO-G Experience is an amazing opportunity to experience true weightlessness. On our specially modified Boeing 727, parabolic arcs are performed to create a weightless environment allowing you to float, flip and soar as if you were in space.
A ZERO-G Experience is available starting at $4,950 per person up to $165,000 for a whole plane charter (35 people).

Cosmonaut Overview Training
Price - $89,500

For those not quite ready for an orbital spaceflight, but would like a serious look at the training involved, the Cosmonaut Overview Program (COP) is a viable choice..

The COP experience is customized to provide an appreciation for what a cosmonaut trainee undergoes during his or her months of unique training prior to a flight to the International Space Station. At the end of training, you will have had a glimpse of what cosmonauts and Space Adventures mission candidates experience in the months leading up to launch. Most of the activities will be at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia.

Over seven days, you will experience what it means to be a cosmonaut, allowing you to gauge for yourself whether you are ready for the next step - a real spaceflight.

Some of the inclusions:
One day Mini-Medical testing in Star City
Centrifuge (launch to orbit insertion) Simulator Training
Space Navigation using Star City's one-of-a kind Planetarium and Simulator
Sokol Space Suit Training
Space Adventures NOMEX flight suit
Soyuz spacecraft simulator training under the guidance of actual spacecraft pilot trainers
Spacewalk mission simulation in the neutral buoyancy tank.
International Space Station Simulator Training
Dinner with a cosmonaut guest
Accommodations at 5 star Moscow hotel
Sedan transfers to/from Airport
Private transfers to all program destinations
Personal cell phone while in Moscow
Price - $15,950 per person
In use since the late 1960s, the Soyuz spacecraft today serves as the primary vehicle for transporting crew to and from the International Space Station.

Inside the Soyuz Simulator

Soyuz Simulator

Price - $15,950 per person
In use since the late 1960s, the Soyuz spacecraft today serves as the primary vehicle for transporting crew to and from the International Space Station.

Space Adventures invites you to board the venerable Soyuz as commander. Learn how to fly the spacecraft from launch to touchdown with the same simulator used by cosmonauts at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center at Star City.

Spacewalk Training/Neutral Buoyancy Training

Price - $33,750 (for 2 people, requires Scuba certification)

Clad in spacesuit, dive into the water as you train for your spacewalk outside a full scale model of the ISS.

Neutral buoyancy is the term used to describe when something has an equal tendency to float as it does sink. Objects that are configured to be neutrally buoyant seem to "hover" underwater. This is accomplished with a combination of weights and flotation devices. Large, neutrally buoyant items can be easily manipulated much like in orbit. This is the closest simulation of weightlessness on the surface of the Earth.

At Star City, the neutral buoyancy tank provides an excellent environment for testing hardware designed to operate in space while practicing techniques used for ISS assembly or servicing and repairing spacecraft.

In this program, you will experience a full day of training on the mechanics and operations of the ORLAN-M spacesuit used by cosmonauts to train in the neutral buoyancy tank. You will be supervised by instructors and dive masters as you simulate operating tools and walking in space! Video and photography will be captured through the many port hole windows located on three levels of the tank as well as through professional underwater photography.

EVA Training -- Extra Vehicular activity
Price - $7,650 per person

Train for the ultimate space adventure - an EVA (Extra-vehicular activity) or spacewalk. Experience the same spacewalk simulation training as professional cosmonauts. Try on a real Orlan suit used for real spacewalks, and professional cosmonauts will teach you how to step outside the spacecraft, for an experience of a lifetime.