Russians sign deal to fly two tourists to ISS
Capitalism in space: Now that their Soyuz capsule is no longer required to fly NASA astronauts to ISS, the Russians have spare seats, and have now signed a deal with Space Adventures to fly two tourists to ISS in late 2021.
They will announce the tourist’s names later this year.
Space Adventures also has a deal with SpaceX to fly two tourists on a Dragon capsule on a week-plus long orbital mission (not docking with ISS). SpaceX also has a deal with the space station company Axiom to fly tourists to ISS. Next year could thus see two or three tourist flights to space.
Isn’t competition wonderful?
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Capitalism in space: Now that their Soyuz capsule is no longer required to fly NASA astronauts to ISS, the Russians have spare seats, and have now signed a deal with Space Adventures to fly two tourists to ISS in late 2021.
They will announce the tourist’s names later this year.
Space Adventures also has a deal with SpaceX to fly two tourists on a Dragon capsule on a week-plus long orbital mission (not docking with ISS). SpaceX also has a deal with the space station company Axiom to fly tourists to ISS. Next year could thus see two or three tourist flights to space.
Isn’t competition wonderful?
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Any idea what the Russians are charging to fly the tourists? If I had to guess it would be significantly less than what the Russians charged NASA.
Last time I heard it was over $20 million for tourists flights. We are still under contract to pay for one more Soyuz seat for $90 million: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2020/06/03/despite-spacex-success-nasa-will-pay-russia-90-million-to-take-us-astronaut-to-the-iss/#622fd6c7eacb
“Space Adventures also has a deal with SpaceX to fly two tourists on a Dragon capsule on a week-plus long orbital mission (not docking with ISS).”
That makes me wonder… What is the standard life support capacity of the Dragon 2? 21 man-days? More? Less?
21 man-days would be enough for a tourist flight of 3 people for 7 days duration. The same duration and crew size as the Apollo 8 lunar mission.
It is my understanding the Orion spacecraft has life support for a crew of 4 for a period of 21 days (or in my reckoning 48 man-days of life support).
Brad: NASA’s contract with SpaceX’s only requires Dragon to fly free in orbit for 2.5 days (with full crew of four) and seven months while docked with ISS.
SpaceX however I am sure designed the capsule for a much longer free flight duration. If they are not bringing cargo to or from ISS they would certainly have much more room to store supplies for a week-long mission.
Orion was required to have a 21 day lifespan free-flying, with full four person crew. If Lockheed Martin had the slightest interest in making money from it (which they do not), they could market it for tourist flights, and probably even try to team up with SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy to launch it (it is heavy and requires a bigger launch vehicle).
I would think the duration would be as long as the service module is able to supply.
Instead of an empty truck, if they would water and air and power, it could go longer.
From a tourist point of view, with no where to go, 7 days is forever.
Better have a creative “cruise director”.
When there is a “hotel” in LEO, that may change.
A day to travel to, 4 or 5 days there, and a day to return.
I maintain hope that companies like Bigelow will recover. (Tho still not convinced on inflatables. And yes, I am aware of GenI and GenII still in orbit, albiet derelict).
I am sure that being in perpetual zero G would be a fantastic experience, but until they have a tourist ship that can sport a Lido deck count me out for flights of a week or longer : )
From Wikipedia:
a lido is a public outdoor swimming pool….
Well, if you want to step out and take a swim…
(/sarc)
Humans deposit waste at regular intervals..Just dont know how it is done….the longer
the flight…well you get the idea.
Correcting my own typo:
Orion has 84 man-days of life support, not 48 man-days of life support.
D’oh!