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Tourist-Class Soyuz Spacecraft Seats Open

brandido writes "Put another notch in the belt for space tourism - Space.com is reporting that: "If you're looking for the ultimate in get-up-and go, take note: Tourist-class seats will be available on a Soyuz spacecraft bound for the International Space Station in 2004-2005. This off-planet trek comes courtesy of a deal struck between Space Adventures, a U.S. adventure travel firm, Russia's RSC Energia and the Russian Space Agency (Rosoviakosmos)." However, NASA has yet to be officially notified or to give formal approval, so there are still some speed bumps in the road map."

24 of 191 comments (clear)

  1. shoot... by LBArrettAnderson · · Score: 4, Funny

    and to think i just spent my life savings on a pair of shoes... better start saving up again

  2. Are you sure? by lseltzer · · Score: 4, Funny

    I don't see it on Expedia

  3. In relation to an earlier story by Goldberg's+Pants · · Score: 5, Funny

    See, this is the perfect way to get rid of Senator Hatch and his "I'm going to destroy your PC" brigade.

    1. Re:In relation to an earlier story by cardshark2001 · · Score: 2, Funny
      See, this is the perfect way to get rid of Senator Hatch and his "I'm going to destroy your PC" brigade.

      You know, until just now, none of my fantasies have ever involved an airlock.

      --
      WWJD? JWRTFA!
  4. Disclaimer by firehzd1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I would like to see a copy of the disclaimer on that trip ... we will not be held liable for your luggage melting on re-entry... nor yourself.....

  5. In flight entertainment. by Hogwash+McFly · · Score: 5, Funny

    Man: Excuse me stewardess, what is the in flight movie?

    Stewardess: Apollo 13, sir.

    --
    Mother, do you think they'll like this sig?
    1. Re:In flight entertainment. by Ignorant+Aardvark · · Score: 2, Funny

      It could be a lot worse. It could be Apollo 1. Or Challenger. Or Columbia ...

  6. Does anyone else by MisterFancypants · · Score: 2, Funny

    think the parent poster is bitter because he can't afford a space trip? I do.

  7. Re:NASA's approval? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Do you ask you wife/girlfriend/roommate permission to go into your house?

  8. hotels.com by retto · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'll wait for the ISS to appear on hotels.com before signing up. I have to find someway to save a buck...

    1. Re:hotels.com by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 2, Funny

      You don't want hotels.com .

      You want hotels.ru

      Sheesh, amateurs....

      --
      "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
    2. Re:hotels.com by chef_raekwon · · Score: 2, Funny

      thanks.

      now all i have to do is book the flight, explain to my boss why this trip is business related...and expense it.

      cya on the ISS,

      --
      We're like rats, in some experiment! -- George Costanza
  9. Oh boy ... by DaemonGem · · Score: 2, Funny

    ... here come all the non-paying rock bands.

    -Dae

    --
    "Alle reden vom wetter. Wir nicht." - SDS Sozialistischer Deutscher Studentenbund.
    j00 4r3 3n73r1ng l337 w0r1d.
  10. Re: If NASA says no... by Glasswire · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...He can always sit in the Soyuz (not set foot on/in/onto(?)) the Station until it's time to go home. Oh, wait, THAT Soyuz will stay docked to the Station for six months...

    He/She will be the first orbital hermit.

  11. Re:NASA's approval? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Do you ask your mother's permission to use her computer?

  12. Also included by d3faultus3r · · Score: 2, Funny

    Plus if you sign up now you get a 10% discount on Russian nukes!

    --
    read my blog
    musings on politics and technol
  13. Orbital Brothel by Migraineman · · Score: 4, Funny

    Mile high club? That is soooo 20th century. I suggest that the next module to be attached to the ISS should be the Space Erogenous eXperiment module. For the very reasonable price of USD 50M, you and your partner get a round trip ticket and a week's stay in the luxurious and private S.E.X. module on the ISS. (Meals and port fees are included.)

    This is the kind of development that makes the budget woes of the ISS go away. If it costs <pinky> one Billlllion dollars </pinky> to put the thing up there, you've roughly broken even after 20 bookings. So be pessimistic and say that it takes 40 bookings. If they fly passengers 6 times a year, the module is "in the black" inside of 7 years. After that, it's generating revenue for the program and funding the science operations. How many other ISS modules could lay claim to that? I know I'd certainly welcome any structure that reduces the amount of money that the ISS sucks out of my wallet.

    1. Re:Orbital Brothel by geekoid · · Score: 2, Funny

      The real money would be leasing it to porn studios.

      Talk live with our girls! watch them float by while sticking what ever you like into them!

      BOOBS IN SPAAAAACE!!!!!!!!!!!

      I could go on, but it only gets worse, or more 'in your face' as it were.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  14. Re:Fsck NASA's approval by Jardine · · Score: 3, Funny

    UV sunglasses, pacemakers, velcro , and hundreds of other major scientific breaktrhoughs

    Dammit, we all know that the Vulcans introduced velcro to earth. Enterprise taught me that. Anything else is revisionist propaganda.

  15. Aloha Soyuz, welcome to Nethack! by Voltara · · Score: 2, Funny

    So who else saw Tourist-class and right away assumed it was an article about nethack?

  16. Re:typical by geekoid · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Explosions WILL happen."

    I hope so, otjerwise the ship will just sit on the launch pad... :)

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  17. pretty simple actually: by geekoid · · Score: 4, Funny

    Disclaimer:
    You may die. poihnt in fact if anything goes wrong, you will die. If you cause something to go wrong, and though some miracle people don't die, you will be ejected nto space, and you will die.
    If you do not want to die, put the pen down and leave.

    Do you accept that you will probably die and agree you or you estate will not hold anybody who own or come in contact with anything that is in anyway connected to space travel?

    If you do die(and probably will) taco bell promises to name a taco after you, if your body hits a target they specify.

    Good luck, spave traveller.
    Please kiss you loved good by.... forever.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  18. Re:NASA's approval? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    At this point I would think they would be happy to get anyone up there to do anything. The current ISS crew is only two people(Commander Yuri Malenchenko and Flight Engineer Ed Lu). Last I heard the station needed 3 people just to take care of the maintenance items (3people leaves a whopping 1.5 hours per week total to do any 'science' stuffs). The conversation should go like this;

    *ring* *ring*
    NASA: Hello, good morning NASA how can we help you today?
    SpaceAdventures: Hi, We have two suckers, hrm, *cough* 'tourists' who want to go to the ISS on one of these spiffy Soyuz economy spacecrafts we have purchased payload space on from the russians.
    NASA: uh, haven't you guys read the press releases? We don't want anyone up there who isn't super perfect in every single way. So, NO.
    SpaceAdventures: Oh, come on. We know you guys want to have a few extra hands up there for a few days...
    NASA: Remember, we didn't want you guys bringing Dennis Tito up there because he said some things we didn't like and that hurt our feelings even if he was right about what he said.
    SpaceAdventures: oh, well, sorry about that but...they each paid us $20 million US for the ride and Tito didn't break anything remember? You guys made us put him in timeout in the Soyuz capsule most of the time anyways. Besides the French space guys in charge at the ESA said it was ok because it is an 'international' space station.
    NASA: oh there you go again, pointing out the word 'international' in the name of the station, we asked you to stop calling it that we call it 'freedom'.
    SpaceAdventures: well, the 15 other nations said it was cool too and we promised the russians a 50%split on the profits which is about 15% of their annual space budget.
    NASA: oh they did huh? 15% huh?
    SpaceAdventures: As a matter of fact they did.
    NASA: $20 million each hrm... can they do windows and operate a vacuum?
    SpaceAdventures: No. These folks are super rich. They don't know how to do those kinds of manual labor...
    NASA: oh, allright...

  19. Sex in Space? by Metroid72 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Gee... I wonder how long until we get the first Space's Mile High Club members...