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Russia Unveils Space Shuttle for Tourists

Posted by timothy on from the goes-up-goes-down-da dept.

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."

4 of 198 comments (clear)

  1. Crisscross? by red5 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    To this now the russians are the crazy capitalists and it's us with the draconian anti-freedom laws (DMCA).

    --
    I know I'm going to hell, I'm just trying to get good seats.
    1. Re:Crisscross? by ryanwright · · Score: 3, Insightful

      To this now the russians are the crazy capitalists and it's us with the draconian anti-freedom laws (DMCA).

      I was thinking the exact same thing. The Russians get it. Why the hell don't our leaders run with this? It's a huge idea and will make millions, not to mention the awesome benefits to technology. We piss and moan about people like Tito coming to the ISS while the Russians are making money. The next guy they're taking up has gone through a year of training and is paying millions to be an active crew member. He's going to perform experiments and act as a functional member of the crew.

      There are more than enough people willing and able to pay for things like this. What the hell is wrong with the people running my beloved USA?

      --
      -Ryan, with the unoriginal sig
  2. Normal people? by Judg3 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The makers of this new spaceship believe there is a huge untapped market of would-be space tourists - ordinary people willing to pay for the holiday of a lifetime.

    I don't know about you, but I sure as hell don't consider anyone able to pay $100,000 for 3 minutes of weightlessness normal.

    But I must admit, it's a cool idea and brings us 1 step closer to a trip to the moon costing as much as a flight from New York to London. But hell, even the cost of that flight is out of my price range.

    --
    Looking for hardware (Currently need: Large Etch-a-Sketch) Have one? See my journal!
  3. Shocked?!? by Tranvisor · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So am I the only one whos shocked at the fact that the Russians (the former USSR!) are going to be the first ones to approach a capitalist space program?! Come on, get your act together USA! Our entire country is based on the ideal that if you come up with something cool to do/sell you should do it and get rich, and the Russians are beating us to the punch? Please NASA, do something similar so you can fund a fucking Mars mission when the gov cuts your funding! Just think, we have the shuttles, its the only way we are going to go to mars any time soon and not have johnny taxpayer pay about a zillion dollars for it.