Space Tourism Mini-Boom

Transcendent writes "Russia sent up the second space tourist today. Mark Shuttleworth, a 28 year old computer entrepeneur from South-Africa , was launched up at around 2:22am (EDT) on the Russian Soyuz TM-34 shuttle for $20 million. He'll be spending 8 days upon the ISS in hopes to combat the spread of AIDs in Africa. Catch the (pre-launch) stories at reuters and spacedaily, and the (post-launch) story at CNN with bonus Tito quotes. Not only is he the second space-tourist, but the first African to go into space. It also seems that NASA is accepting the tourism a little more this time."

Comments

I knew it was his fault!

[gnovos]

He'll be spending 8 days upon the ISS in hopes to combat the spread of AIDs in Africa.

So, keeping him away from the population for 8 days will signifigantly reduce the spread of AIDS, eh? I *thought* those Russian medical standards forms looked a little dodgy.

First words

[Anonymous Coward]

I thought there was going to be ramen.

First African In Space

[storem]

A lot of information is to be found at the First African In Space website. The are also a lot of pre-launch images in their photo gallery as well as more info on Thawte's founder Mark Shuttleworth.

Re:mmh?

[alnapp]

IIRC, in the case of the first space tourist Dennis Tito the US initially objected, but the objections soon died down when they realised that:

It'd help the Russians pay their way

Public opinion liked the idea of him going

WAR AGAINST AIDS!

[President Chimp Toe]

He'll be spending 8 days upon the ISS in hopes to combat the spread of AIDs in Africa

How, exactly, is he going to fight this war against the malicous AIDS enemy?

Space-lauched, laser guided missiles aimed directly at AIDS virii?

Neutrino bombs?

Phaser banks?

Re:WAR AGAINST AIDS!

[jfengel]

According to the Space Daily article:

While onboard the ISS, he will conduct scientific experiments for South African universities to help combat AIDS and other diseases. In particular Shuttleworth plans to do research on HIV proteins...While in space, Shuttleworth will also study the development of rat and ewe stem cells in microgravity.

I'm not a chemist, but perhaps there are various chemical reactions that are difficult to pull off in gravity. It still sounds like it's 98% "Gee, I'm in space!" and 2% real science, but I hope something useful does come out of it.

Re:WAR AGAINST AIDS!

[Yet Another Smith]

He's going to modify the deflector array to emit a quasi-symmetric graviton polarity beam

All of this sounds like applying a Star Trek solution to a Babylon 5 problem

Unless he's going to get the Vorlons to tweak Thabo Mbeki's mind such that he stops believing that AIDS isn't caused by HIV, and starts pursuing a policy to stop AIDS infections.

NASA can't complain too much

[hij]

It also seems that NASA is accepting the tourism a little more this time.

NASA is stepping up their program to put educators in space. As they do this it will be harder to complain about other civilians in space. Their earlier complaints about the Russians putting up a civilian were a bit of a public relations disaster anyway. (IMHO)

Profitability?

[Darth_brooks]

How much money does the russian space agency make by training and sending a tourist into space?

Sending the shuttle into orbit costs roughly 42 million dollars (a number that sticks out in my mind from some obscure place. I welcome anyone who can give me a more accurate figure), so by my own idiot math, that would say three passengers turns you a tidy 18 million dollar profit. But what are the costs to the russians?

It's idle daydreaming, but if there are people willing to drop 20 million a ride, how long before the russians put together a second, tourist-only, space station? At this point it would seem to be a cash cow that could better fund their own programs. Or for that matter just pay their ground support costs.

This is the real jurassic park. (sans velociraptors)

Re:Profitability?

[DutchSter]

Supposedly when Tito went, he paid his expenses. They would not let someone go up at a dead loss to them. Depending on how/when they go up, the incremental cost of an additional person may just be in terms of food consumed, and fuel. IIRC, the Russians frequently send up shuttles with less than the full capacity. If the shuttle is going anyway, and there's an empty seat, actual launch costs wouldn't be that much more. As for training, basically all he got was physical conditioning and a good lecture on DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING.