Russia Unveils Space Shuttle for Tourists

joestump98 writes: "Yahoo! News is running a story about those crazy, cash strapped, Russians building a space shuttle for tourists. For under $100,000 you can take a one-hour flight that includes a mere 3 minutes of weightlessness. Apparently the flights are to start around 2004/2005." 21mhz adds a link to this press release from Russia's Myasishchev Design Bureau, writing: "On close examination, it turns out to be a downscaled version of Buran."

Comments

Slimfast diet plan

[ZaneMcAuley]

For under $100,000 you can take a one-hour flight that includes a mere 3 minutes of weightlessness.

Order today :D

A New 50 Mile High Club

[phunhippy]

OR however many miles high they will take us... but thats the important part!!

1 pilot.. and room for 2!!!

3 minute quickie in space for 100 grand.. 200 if yer payin for your partner... now that will be the new IN thing... hehe...

Re:Expansive for what you get

[yatest5]

If its weightlessnes you are after, wouldn't it be a damn sight cheeper just to put a plane into a dive and float arround for a bit..... as in an astronoughts training.

Hmm, yeah, maybe except using that method, you only get 10 seconds at a time of weightlessness, which, even if you've just met the girl, is not enough time to reach the 'mile high, and floating in mid-air club'. Any guy knows that 3 minutes is plenty of time to do that and try weightless cigarette smoking...

For $150,000...

[tom_newton]

You get to ride on the inside :)

In flight shopping

[morie]

Knowing the way some Russians do business, they will probably stop the ship once they're out there and ask for another $100,000 to get you back in one piece.

Re:Expansive for what you get

[Anonymous Coward]

If its weightlessnes you are after, wouldn't it be a damn sight cheeper just to put a plane into a dive and float arround for a bit..... as in an astronoughts training.

Actually you get a couple of minutes in space to look at the stars and convince your self that earth actually _is_ round :)

$100K / 180 sec = $555.55 per second

[Bowie J. Poag]

3 minutes, at nearly $600 per second. About half of that time will be spent vomiting, so now you're looking at more than $1000 per second.

Not since "Glitter" hit the theaters has so much money been made by causing people to barf.

Cheers,

American Express

[Xamdam_us]

Bottle of Vodka -- $26

Flight into Space -- $100,000

Not burning up on re-entry -- Priceless

Mastercard

[yatest5]

Making a cheap-ass joke: $0

Posting it on /.: -1 Karma

Getting it fundamentally wrong: Priceless

;-) - sorry man.

For everything else there's mastercard

[CrazyJim0]

$100,000 for yourself
$50 for a hooker
$100,000 for her ticket
3 minute sex in space with a hooker? Priceless.

Somethings money can't buy.