Vacationing in space in 2012 wont be that fun. It wont.

14 Jun

Posted by Vic as Future Tech, Space & Beyond

Space is an interesting place. Zero gravity, endless view, … ..

People want, and have always wanted to visit outer space. The thought of floating in space has been a great dream for many, mainly kids. The BBC has an article on how a company named EADS Astrium is creating a vehicle that will be able to make this dream come true.

Price tag? 200,000 euros (266,900 U.S. dollars). Ohhhkayyy… So for about $267,000 i get to fly in a plane that will take me to outer space so i can experience weightlessness and see the stars?

How about you just take a trip to the local swimming pool, then leave the city on a clear night and look up? Space travel is great, but It wont be the next tourism spot on everyones list. NASA cant even get it right 100% of the time. The death rate will be high, the price is already high. I don’t see anyone else doing this besides crazy rich with a death wish.

I propose we use this reusable space vehicle to transfer scientists, samples, and materials to the space station?

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4 Responses

Nospoon

June 14th, 2007 at 10:46 am
1

A pool isn’t weighlessness - you still have about 4 pounds per inch of pressure pushing down on you, and the same amount (ish) pushing up. You can feel that pressure, you’re just used to it.

Seeing the stars through the atmosphere has nothing on seeing them without it, even before global polution. And you also get to see, for example, the Earth.

The death rate is 4%. Lower, in recent years. And that’s with a relatively limited budget, and with government design. A private company could almost undoubtably get it below 1%. That’s just about the chance of dying in a car crash.

The vehical was developed by a private company for the express purpose of taking people into LEO. It wouldn’t exist otherwise. Besides, it wouldn’t be very useful for taking stuff the space station, because it will have an extremely low carrying capacity, and thus can’t carry very much at all.
Vic

June 14th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
2

Nospoon

A pool is as close as you can get to weightlessness without using diving jumbo jets or actually going in to space. I great view is appreciated, but for how long?

What is there to do in a cramped space craft besides look out the window. There might be more to a ride in to space, but I’m just not seeing it. I would rather them try and develop some sort of moon resort or something equal to that where visitors and take a tour, get out and walk, etc.

I know this is still a long way, but I just think a ride in to space will only be cool for about 15min. Thanks for post tho.
Cristi N.

June 18th, 2007 at 2:21 am
3

I think it would be an interesting experience. I’d gladly go on a trip like that and the price isn’t really that much… I’ve heard of cruises more expensive than that and you can’t compare this…
But I don’t think anyone can go to space.. it wouldn’t be fun to pay that truckload of money and pass out once you reach 5g’s. after all not everyone is good to be an astronaut
skoh-fley

June 25th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
4

There’s this thing you can do in a plane — if you get the pilot to fly in a big arc, starting when the plane’s at the top of the arc you’ve essentially got weightlessness, but AFAIK it only lasts for a minute or two. It’s basically ’cause you’re got upward momentum from when the plane’s going up (duh) so when it starts to come over the arc you’re still kinda moving up, and you start freefalling with the plane.