News tagged with space tourism

Runway unveiled for world's first 'tourist' spaceship (Update 3)

The world's first commercial passenger spaceship moved a step closer to takeoff, as tycoon Richard Branson unveiled a new runway at a remote New Mexico spaceport.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Oct 22, 2010 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (23) | comments 16

Private spaceship makes first solo glide flight (w/ Video)

Virgin Galactic's space tourism rocket SpaceShipTwo achieved its first solo glide flight Sunday, marking another step in the company's eventual plans to fly paying passengers.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Oct 11, 2010 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (25) | comments 7

Space hotel taking bookings for 2012 opening

(PhysOrg.com) -- The first orbiting space hotel is on track to open for its first customers in 2012, but hurry, as bookings are filling fast.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Nov 05, 2009 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (23) | comments 11 weblog

Virgin to launch space tourism in 18 months: Branson

Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson said Monday that Virgin Galactic is on track to offer commercial space travel within 18 months, and that space hotels are next on the drawing board.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Sep 27, 2010 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (10) | comments 15

Branson and NM officials dedicate space terminal (Update)

With his usual flair, British billionaire Richard Branson rappelled from a balcony, shook up a big bottle of champagne and took a swig while christening the world's first built-from-scratch commercial spaceport ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Oct 17, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 3

Singapore family books $1 million Virgin space flight

A Singaporean businessman, his wife and two children have paid $1 million to become the first Asian family to fly together on space-tourism airline Virgin Galactic, the company announced Monday.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Nov 14, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Maiden flight for Virgin Galactic's 'SpaceShipTwo' (Update)

Virgin Galactic's experimental SpaceshipTwo (SS2), an aircraft designed to one day carry paying customers into space, had its maiden flight in the California desert Monday, company officials announced.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Mar 22, 2010 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (16) | comments 15

US ramping up private sector's role in spaceflight

The first flight of a commercial vessel to the International Space Station in late April will signal a bigger role for the private sector and open up space tourism opportunities, industry experts and lawmakers ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Mar 25, 2012 | popularity 2.6 / 5 (10) | comments 4

Russian company to build 'space hotel' with home comforts

A Russian company on Wednesday announced plans to launch a comfortable space hotel for tourists who up to now have shared cramped accommodation with astronauts, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Sep 29, 2010 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (6) | comments 3

Russia to reopen space tourism in 2013: company

Russia will reopen its Soyuz space ships to paying tourists in 2013 after a hiatus since 2009, the US-based company that organises the trips with Russia's space agency said Wednesday.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Jan 12, 2011 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (6) | comments 3

Sir Richard Branson All Fired Up With Latest Rocket Motor Test

Virgin Galactic owned by Sir Richard Branson completed a successful test on May 28, 2009 of its hybrid nitrous oxide motor designed by Scaled Composites and a subcontractor Sierra Nevada Corporation. The ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created May 31, 2009 | popularity 4.9 / 5 (15) | comments 16 weblog

$7M spaceport runway extension OK'd

(AP) -- The nearly two-mile-long runway at Spaceport America in southern New Mexico will have to be extended to accommodate Virgin Galactic's sleek rocket-powered spacecraft, spaceport officials confirmed ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Mar 30, 2012 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (3) | comments 1

California desert spaceship factory completed

Space tourism is closer to reality.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Sep 20, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

The end of the line for space tourism?

A US software mogul who made history this week as the first person to travel to space twice as a tourist could also be the last paying passenger to head into space for several years.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Mar 28, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 1

Calif. space tourism firm launches S. Korea deal

(AP) -- A California company developing a rocket plane for space tourism announced Thursday that it has an agreement with a nonprofit group in South Korea to conduct launches in that nation.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Dec 18, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Space tourism

Space tourism is the recent phenomenon of tourists paying for flights into space pioneered by Russia.

As of 2009, orbital space tourism opportunities are limited and expensive, with only the Russian Space Agency providing transport. The price for a flight brokered by Space Adventures to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft is $20–35 million.

Infrastructure for a suborbital space tourism industry is being developed through the construction of spaceports in numerous locations, including California, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, Alaska, Wisconsin, Esrange in Sweden as well as the United Arab Emirates. Some use the term "personal spaceflight" as in the case of the Personal Spaceflight Federation.

A number of startup companies have sprung up in recent years, hoping to create a space tourism industry. For a list of such companies, and the spacecraft they are currently building, see list of space tourism companies.

For more information about Space tourism, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.