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Science U.S. Space Adventures to charter entire Russian Soyuz mission to Space Station
Science U.S. Space Adventures to charter entire Russian Soyuz mission to Space Station | U.S. Space Adventures to charter entire Russian Soyuz mission to Space Station |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Friday, 04 July 2008 | |
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Science DiscussionsThis first-of-a-kind space tourism trip will include only one professional cosmonaut, the pilot, who will ferry two spaceflight participants, or space tourists, up to the Space Station onboard a Soyuz spacecraft. In the past, two professionals, either Russian cosmonauts or U.S. astronauts, have made the trip along with only one space tourist. But, not for this flight. U.S.-based Space Adventures is brokering the deal. Based in Vienna, Virginia, Space Adventures is a space tourism company co-founded in 1998 by Eric C. Anderson, who is now its president and chief executive officer (CEO). Anderson founded the company along with other entrepreneurs from the aerospace, entertainment, and adventure travel industries. The announcement by Space Adventures was made at the Explorer’s Club in New York City on the ten-year anniversary of its company’s founding. Anderson, who made the announcement, stated that this first private charter space flight “… showed people around the world that there was a market.” [PopularScience.com: “Space Adventures Charters Entire Russian Spacecraft”] Concurrent with the Anderson announcement, according to the website of RSA, the Russians stated, "We have concluded an agreement with an investor to begin financing such a Soyuz vessel with an anticipated launch date of 2011." Now, according to the AFP article “Russia seals agreement with private investor for space tourism,” the name of the investor who is paying for the Soyuz spacecraft has not been released by RSA. However, the investor signed a deal in June 2008 with the U.S. company Space Adventures for a commercial flight to the International Space Station. More information on Space Adventures and the future of space tourism follows on the next page. |
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