New Russian Space Station 'Real Possibility'

su-geek writes: "BBC is reporting that the Russians are looking into the feasibility of a commercial space station. The Station would be used to promote space tourism and would help pay for future supply missions to the ISS." I think they should get into the business of crashing space stations into the Pacific, and bringing tourists on boats to watch the fireworks.

Comments

highly optimistic on the numbers....

[bbh]

Those numbers are highly speculative I would have to say. Energia is saying they can have it in orbit by 2004 at a cost of around 100 million dollars. If this was the case, instead of buying a trip on Mir (ended up being ISS) for 20 million I think Tito and a few friends simply would have bought there own space station in the sky. I remember Hilton Hotels were backing there own initiative to build there own hotel in space. Maybe these folks could get together and buy one together. Heres a link about Hilton Hotels discussing building a hotel in space.

All that said, when the opportunity presents itself, I'll be up there!

bbh

It all comes togethor...

[Bitsy Boffin]

This fits with the speculation that the Buran fleet of shuttles (actually only the first of the Russian shuttles is named Buran, but it has become the defacto name for the fleet) will soon be de-mothballed and brought into service (at least numbers 1 and probably 2, the rest are incomplete). The AN225 is now back flying in active service, this is the largest flying aircraft currently, and was designed specifically for transport of the Buran.

The runway at Baikonur has just been refurbished, this is the runway that was built specifically for the Buran and AN225.

Reportadly Buran is virtually ready to fly with very little work, strap on an Energia and boosters roll her out to the pad and jump on in.