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Two New Space Tourists Announced

Posted by simoniker on from the day-trip-to-trumpton dept.

jfoust writes "Reuters is reporting that the space tourism company Space Adventures has signed up two Americans, at $20 million each, to fly on future Soyuz missions to the ISS. No details about who these people are, other than one is a 38-year-old male Manhattan real estate developer. One will fly in 2004 and the other in 2005. If you haven't quite saved up the $20 million yet, don't worry, the company is still looking for at least two additional tourists for flights through 2007..."

32 of 120 comments (clear)

  1. Space travel is expensive by ObviousGuy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Space tourists get to bring the costs down for everyone in the long run. And they really don't get much more than bragging rights and rides in the Vomit Comet for all that money.

    I'd rather spend my $20,000,000 on a long vacation in Moraco.

    --
    I have been pwned because my /. password was too easy to guess.
    1. Re:Space travel is expensive by Fjornir · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I consider eight to ten days in orbit to be considerably more than a quick ride on the pukelator.

      --
      I want a new world. I think this one is broken.
    2. Re:Space travel is expensive by -noefordeg- · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "'d rather spend my $20,000,000 on a long vacation in Moraco."

      Well, duh! Don't you think he's done that too? I'm pretty sure he hasn't got exactly $20mill but probably a little more or maybe A LOT more $$$.

      If I had $21mill I would have done this at once. You've got one life, why spend it in Monaco with greedy and utterly boring people with probably nothing more to think about than what to wear and when they do open their mouth the utter stupidity of what's being said will make your braincells wither away. Also.... If you are a normal person you'll get bored at a place like Monaco after a weekend...

      G'damn... I would love to be able to be in space *sigh*

      Better patent something fast!

  2. Damnit! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Damnit! I spent my $20,000,000 buying SCO licenses for my Beowulf cluster...

  3. Miles? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does anyone remember just how many frequent flyer miles I would need to get one of those other spots?

    1. Re:Miles? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      300? The ISS is only 300 miles away from earth.

  4. If you're feeling lucky by Space+cowboy · · Score: 2, Redundant

    ... then with the X-prize candidates just about to really go for it (2 weeks left for them to claim the prize), they may cut you a deal, of course it's a bit more of a gamble... :-)

    Simon

    --
    Physicists get Hadrons!
    1. Re:If you're feeling lucky by fucksl4shd0t · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I thought they had until the end of 2004 to claim the prize? I mean, really, Armadillo Aerospace has been planning on launching something in January for testing to compete for the X-prize. Why would they still be planning on competing for the X-prize if launching a test in January would already be too late? (I also remember reading it, but I checked the X-prize site and couldn't find it, other than a reference in the FAQ to the fact that they think it is likely someone will do it before January '05)

      --
      Like what I said? You might like my music
  5. Pre-boarding conversation... by Channard · · Score: 5, Funny
    'Here you so, sir! Your tickets. Welcome to the Space Shuttle.'

    'Thanks.. er, why does my ticket say 'ballast' on it, instead of my name?'

    'Er, merely a formality sir. Now if you just take your seat in the 'duct taped to the wing' section.'

  6. How much are the Insurance costs? by Richard+M.+Nixon · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I imagine they would sign some sort of "I will not sue you, and my family won't sue you if I die in a horrible accident." kinda contract. But will that really prevent family from trying to sue later?

    Then again, I don't think an insurance policy exists that you could buy for this sort of thing. And it wouldn't make sense anyway since the very concept of insurance requires lots of people to buy into the system.

    Maybe the people running it go up into space each time as well, that way if there is a horrible accident and the client/s die, they die too and don't have to worry about litigation.

    This sort of business gives new meaning to extreme sports do at your own stupid risk activity. Add that to the expense and this is truely the sport of kings.

    --
    Nobody died when Nixon lied.
    I'm meeting you half way you stupid hippies!
    1. Re:How much are the Insurance costs? by Shihar · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I imagine normal life insurance would probably cover dying in such an accident. I find it doubtful that your life insurance has a clause in it that says you don't get any money if you die in a space. It probably is not something insurance companies ever thought of including and so, unlike say sky diving, probably still results in coverage.

  7. I for one.. by Channard · · Score: 2, Funny

    .. am incensed by the lack of opportunity for 'evil overlord jokes'. Damn you Nasa, you insensitive clods!

  8. I bet when they get up there by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    They'll STILL find that all the best spots around the pool have been reserved by Germans.

  9. Not really by nil5 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Space tourism is pretty inconsequential and doesn't bring the cost down, since there are so few space tourists. The amount of money it costs to launch a rocket, let alone maintain the ISS DWARF the income provided by a space tourist.

    You're drawing the obvious, specious conclusion

  10. Are one-way tickets available? by NanoGator · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm sure I could scrape together $10,000,000 for an xmas gift to our beloved Eisner.

    --
    "Derp de derp."
  11. I bet that... by Channard · · Score: 2, Funny

    Deep Vein Thrombosis is going to be a bitch in space...

  12. Only in America by Space+cowboy · · Score: 5, Insightful


    Yeah, I know, you're all going to mod me down for being critical, but honestly, where else in the world would the question of a lawsuit be even asked, should the thing blow up ?

    It's a bloody dangerous thing to do. Accept that. Take responsibility for accepting that and "either do, or do not, there is no 'try it and sue'", to horribly paraphrase Yoda.

    Simon.

    --
    Physicists get Hadrons!
    1. Re:Only in America by shanen · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You know that they're going to have to waive every form of liability under the sun before they get anywhere near the thing. Not only them, but every relative unto the fourth cousin twice removed will have to sign, too. Probably current employeers, past employeers for the past 10 years, and any company the "astroballast" might potentially work for in the future will have to agree.

      However, all things considered, it's probably safe enough. Sad to say, the Russians have the better safety record. They've already launched a tourist successfully, while America lost one of the two we launched. (Or was it three?)

      --
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  13. Re:ISS by tx_kanuck · · Score: 3, Informative

    I don't think there are any private companies running this yet. They tourists are going up via the russian space agency, and not a private company.

    --
    Now, if that makes sense to anyone, could you please explain it to me? I think I've confused myself.
  14. Finally a 'cheap' way to pick up chicks . . by OverlordQ · · Score: 4, Funny

    "So what do you do?"

    "I'm a real estate developer . . and in my spare time I'm an astronaut."

    --
    Your hair look like poop, Bob! - Wanker.
  15. Be patient and keep saving by Lagrange5 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Save your money and wait for private enterprise to catch up. It may not be that far away.

    With the good news that Scaled Composites' SpaceShipOne flew beyond the speed of sound yesterday, affordable space tourism may be possible within our lifetimes. Granted, Scaled may yet have quite a long way to go to reach space, but they made a leap in the right direction on an historic day. My money's on Burt Rutan and his team to take the X-Prize (but I'd have said that before yesterday).

    So if you're say, under 40, there's a good chance you could be able to visit space before your 60th birthday. So be patient. It won't be a seller's market forever.

    --
    "Folks just call him Buckethead." -- Les Claypool
    1. Re:Be patient and keep saving by nsample · · Score: 2, Interesting

      No, the parent is plain wrong. The costs of getting to space will never "catch up" until long after we all have our own tiny submarines, garaged hovercraft, and nanotech housekeepers. Using this logic, we should all have flown on the Concorde after 5 years or so... didn't happen.

      As hard as it is to believe, escape velocity is expensive, friends! If the spurrious parent argument's held water, then we would already be there, no? Yuri Gagarin first flew in space over 4 DECADES ago, and I still don't see a Walmart on the moon....

  16. few suggestions by abhisarda · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Maybe Lance Bass can still hitch a one way ticket to nowhere.
    On the other hand.. I have an cutout scan from a newspaper(1956) about a London travel company taking reservations to the moon for the year 2040. Cost? Just 12,000 quid.

  17. Someone should tell the guy by ztwilight · · Score: 2, Funny

    You're not allowed to develop real estate on the moon. And he thought he was going to break even on his trip... So who owns the moon? SCO, of course. Because they've got the title. You have to pay SCO a few million dollars and sign your life away to get the rights to see their title to the moon, but the title is bonafide. Or so they say.

    --
    Who moved my sig?
  18. Surely a better use of the money... by Channard · · Score: 3, Insightful

    .. would be to donate it to a local hospital or charity or something, perhaps enough to fund a ward in your name or something. That way you'd be known for something less altruistic than going up into the emptiness of space for the sake of it, *and* the people in question would have people reminded daily of them, after their death.

    1. Re:Surely a better use of the money... by Shihar · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Yeah, 20 million probably is better spent on charity or invested into some life saving research. However, it is a tad hypocritical for most people to make such a statement. I know I bought myself a new computer that I didn't need. The only difference between my selfish act and these space tourists is magnitude. If a rich guy wants to blow 20 million on a life's dream, more power to him. I would do the same thing in his position.

      If it is any consolation, it very could lead to some greater benefit for mankind. These first few spending money on something so expensive and risky very well could encourage someone somewhere to develop better spaceflight for the purpose of tourism. Even if you don't consider cheaper space tourism as a benefit for humankind, things learned the development of the industry could benefit humankind.

      One of the brighter sides of capitalism is that even selfish acts can lead to improving the greater good, even if it is just an accidental consequence of someone's selfish desires.

    2. Re:Surely a better use of the money... by HeghmoH · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Blah blah blah blah blah.

      Every time one of these articles pops up, we have self-righteous idiots saying what a waste it is, and wouldn't it be better to give that twenty million dollars to starving children in Africa or the local hospital?

      We don't go around telling you what to do with that twenty you have in your pocket. It's his money. Understand that concept? He owns that money and he can do whatever he wants to do with it within the law. If he wants to get it in $100 bills and have a bonfire, that's his right. If he wants to spend it on expensive cars which he then crushes with a wrecking ball, that's his right. If he wants to fund a dot-com startup with no business plan, that's his right. If he wants to go to the space station for a week, and somebody's willing to take him there, that's his right.

      --
      Mod down posts with a "Free Mac Mini/iPod" sig, they're spam!
  19. Call me a troll... by James+A.+C.+Joyce · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ...but who the hell cares? Does this actually benefit humanity in any way, shape or form? I totally doubt that two space tourists are going to make space holidays or astrofaring more accessible for the rest of us. I'd just wait for private enterprise in general to catch up; as it is, this is just money which could be spent more productively.

    --

    Slashdot: when news breaks, we give you the pieces.
  20. I would do it... by Clay+Pigeon+-TPF-VS- · · Score: 2, Funny

    just for the ice cream. 20 million would be worth a weeks worth of astronaut icecream. :)_

    --
    Viral software licensing is not freedom, it is in fact GNU/Socialism.
  21. Re:Let's just hope... by iMMersE · · Score: 2, Informative

    Now, that's not strictly true.

    --
    codegolf.com - smaller *is* better.
  22. Space Hotel? by Bohnanza · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So basically, my taxes have gone to pay for a space hotel for billionaires.

    --

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    Sorry, I'm only a 1336 h4x0r.

  23. better things to do with $20M by mabu · · Score: 2, Funny

    In honor of the many replies on whether this is a waste of money, let me suggest some better things to do with $20 Million:

    * Hire Van Halen and The Who to play at your birthday party

    * Run 5 commercials during the Superbowl

    * Kill yourself and watch every distant relative you've hardly ever spent time with come out of the wood work and crawl over your material posessions like maggots.

    * Get into some questionable relationship with a young child and pay off the parents who threaten to take it public.

    * Hire a D.C. lobbyist to promote the further reduction of the capital gains tax.

    * Fund the new "Reagan Dime"

    * Create a new reality TV show that makes contestants watch other reality TV shows. Call it "Really Real TV."

    * Buy a bunch of SCOX stock

    * Fund a feasibility study into the mating habits of the Duckbill Platapus

    * Hire Johnny Cochran and F. Lee Bailey and make them scrub your toilets.

    * Sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom

    * Change the name of your favorite sports arena or convention center

    * Buy every employee at Apple a brand new VW

    * Produce a new Nick Cage or Van Damme movie