Total Members Voted: 20
Voting closed: 05/24/2021 11:30 pm
There were 8 flights to the ISS between 2001 and 2009 carrying private spaceflight participants, or, Space Tourists. Nobody has flown since then except for a couple of suborbital hops on Virgin Galactic. Now the prospect of space tourism is back in force with 4 flights scheduled to orbit and more on the horizon carrying a dozen participants to one of the most exclusive destinations.
Thank you for compiling this list.If I may, I'd like to make an observation concerning Soyuz MS-19. That mission doesn't fit with the others in the list because none of the crew are paying for their seat by themselves. I'm not sure who exactly is paying for their flight. In case it is the film studio, then it is more similar to the flights of Toyohiro Akiyama and Helen Sharman to Mir in the 90's. If Roscosmos pays the bill then their roles are more similar to the payload specialists or teachers that flew on the Space Shuttle. But in any case it's not like the other tourist flights.
By the way, I looked through the Soyuz MS-19 thread, and it isn't clear if those seats were bought commercially or just provided as a government contribution to the project. So that flight might be actually in the non-commercial category.
Today marks 30 years since Helen Sharman became the first British person to go to space.Helen paved the way for so many future astronauts to boldly go where few have gone before and played a pioneering role in our understanding of the Universe.
Discovery announces competition TV series "Who Wants To Be An Astronaut?""Contestants will have the opportunity to compete for an official spot aboard an upcoming Axiom mission, expected to be AX-2."
Have you ever gazed up at the stars and wondered what it would feel like to be looking back down at Earth? Are you a space enthusiast who would give anything to travel to space, but never thought you'd have an opportunity? Welcome to WHO WANTS TO BE AN ASTRONAUT - the ultimate chance of a lifetime. Compete for a seat on a flight to the International Space Station where the winner will be able to do something only a handful of humans have ever done...travel into space.We're not looking for rocket scientists - this is an opportunity for regular people to have the chance to travel to space and share that journey with the world. (Ok, ok, if you're a rocket scientist you're welcome to apply too!)If this sounds like a mission you want to be part of, now is your chance. Fill out the application below and submit a short video (30-60 seconds) telling us about yourself, why you deserve a chance to travel to space, what it would mean to you, and why you want to participate. We can't wait to hear from you.Good luck!Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or a legal U.S. resident, be 18 years of age or older, be of a fitness level commensurate with space flight (in good health, able to withstand physical exertion, and meet other space travel related requirements. Applicants must be able to read, write and be fluent in the English language for purposes of training, as well as be willing to undergo a psychological, physical and background examination before being cleared to participate fully.
I also asked how NASA astronauts feel about the many private astronauts going to ISS--if they'll have adequate training, be disruptive. She said NASA has agreements w/the companies flying them about expected behaviors, etc.
You wanted a market for commercial human spaceflight?It's here.Ax-1, Ax-2, Ax-3, and Ax-4 – all now confirmed to fly on @SpaceX's Dragon.
https://www.spacex.com/updates/axiom-announcement/index.htmlQuoteSPACEX TO LAUNCH FOUR AXIOM MISSIONS TO ISSDeveloped by SpaceX to support NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, Dragon helped return human spaceflight capabilities in 2020 and has successfully flown three human spaceflight missions to the International Space Station (ISS) to-date. In addition to flying astronauts to space for NASA, Dragon can also carry commercial astronauts to Earth orbit, the ISS or beyond.Today, Axiom Space announced SpaceX will fly three additional private crew missions aboard Dragon to and from the Station through 2023. Axiom previously announced their first mission to the International Space Station flying aboard Dragon, currently targeted to liftoff no earlier than January 2022. In May 2021, Axiom announced that astronaut Peggy Whitson and champion GT racer John Shoffner will serve as commander and pilot on the Ax-2 mission.All four crews will receive combined commercial astronaut training from NASA and SpaceX, with SpaceX providing training on the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft, emergency preparedness training, spacesuit and spacecraft ingress and egress exercises, as well as partial and full simulations.The growing partnership between Axiom and SpaceX will enable more opportunities for more humans in space on the road to making humanity multiplanetary.
SPACEX TO LAUNCH FOUR AXIOM MISSIONS TO ISSDeveloped by SpaceX to support NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, Dragon helped return human spaceflight capabilities in 2020 and has successfully flown three human spaceflight missions to the International Space Station (ISS) to-date. In addition to flying astronauts to space for NASA, Dragon can also carry commercial astronauts to Earth orbit, the ISS or beyond.Today, Axiom Space announced SpaceX will fly three additional private crew missions aboard Dragon to and from the Station through 2023. Axiom previously announced their first mission to the International Space Station flying aboard Dragon, currently targeted to liftoff no earlier than January 2022. In May 2021, Axiom announced that astronaut Peggy Whitson and champion GT racer John Shoffner will serve as commander and pilot on the Ax-2 mission.All four crews will receive combined commercial astronaut training from NASA and SpaceX, with SpaceX providing training on the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft, emergency preparedness training, spacesuit and spacecraft ingress and egress exercises, as well as partial and full simulations.The growing partnership between Axiom and SpaceX will enable more opportunities for more humans in space on the road to making humanity multiplanetary.
Jun 11, 2021NASA Seeks Proposals for Next 2 Private Astronaut Missions to Space StationNASA is seeking proposals for two new private astronaut missions to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s efforts to open space to more people than ever before. With these opportunities, U.S. commercial companies will continue to play an essential role in establishing a sustained presence in low-Earth orbit (LEO) through the agency’s Commercial LEO Development Program.The first targeted flight opportunity will occur between fall of 2022 and mid-2023 and the second will occur between mid-2023 and the end of 2023. Proposals are due Friday, July 9, 2021 at 5 p.m. EDT. NASA will host a pre-proposer’s conference to field industry questions related to this announcement on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 at 3:30 p.m. EDT. To confirm attendance, please email Karen Dailey at [email protected].A private astronaut mission involves U.S. commercial spacecraft transporting private astronauts to the space station, where they conduct activities aboard the orbiting laboratory or a commercial structure attached to it. NASA is enabling up to two short-duration private astronaut missions per year.“This year is truly a renaissance for human spaceflight both as we fly NASA and international partner astronauts on U.S. commercial crew spacecraft to the International Space Station and also as we see the expansion of private astronaut missions,” said Phil McAlister, director of commercial spaceflight development at NASA Headquarters. “As more people fly to space and do more things during their spaceflights, it attracts even more people to do more activities in low-Earth orbit, and reflects the growing market we envisioned when we began the Commercial Crew Program 10 years ago.”The new targeted flight opportunities will be the second and third private astronaut missions to the International Space Station. NASA signed an agreement with Axiom Space for the first private astronaut mission, to take place no earlier than January 2022.Each of the new missions may be up to 14 days. Specific dates are dependent on spacecraft traffic to the space station and in-orbit activity planning and constraints. Private astronaut missions must be brokered by a U.S. entity and use U.S. transportation spacecraft that meet NASA’s International Space Station visiting vehicle requirements, policies, and procedures. Refer to Focus Area 4A of NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNJ13ZBG001N for additional details.Enabling private astronaut missions to the International Space Station is part of the agency's goal to develop a robust low-Earth orbit economy where NASA is one of many customers, and the private sector leads the way. This strategy will provide services the government needs at a lower cost, enabling the agency to focus on its Artemis missions to the Moon and on to Mars while continuing to use low-Earth orbit as a training and proving ground for those deep space missions.For questions about the solicitation, contact [email protected].For media assistance, please contact:Stephanie Schierholz202-358-1100[email protected]Gary Jordan281-483-5111[email protected]Last Updated: Jun 11, 2021Editor: Ana Guzman
Richard Branson believes the space market has room for 20 companies launching touristsPUBLISHED SAT, JUL 3 20218:26 AM EDTMichael Sheetz@THESHEETZTWEETZKEY POINTSSir Richard Branson believes there is plenty of opportunity in the market for companies like Virgin Galactic, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, or Elon Musk’s SpaceX.“There’s room for 20 space companies to take people up there,” Branson told CNBC.The companies of Branson, Bezos, and Musk are each flying spacecraft that can carry passengers, but in different ways, as the former two fly to the edge of space while the latter goes further, into orbit.
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