Many of you might have been dreaming about it for years, decades even, and now it is finally here! You will soon be making trips to the International Space Station (ISS) while being able to gaze at the breathtaking views of Earth from space. NASA has recently announced that it will be allowing tourists to visit the International Space Station from 2020.
Before you start packing your bags, kindly note that these trips won’t be economical by any means. In fact, you might have to spend thousands of dollars for these tickets to the ISS. Nonetheless, it definitely is a once in a lifetime kind of opportunity and therefore might be worth it after all. Imagine travelling to space for your honeymoon!
NASA has announced that the ISS will have room for tourists as well as business ventures. NASA will, however, not be sending people to ISS every few days. NASA’s deputy director has said that only two short private astronaut missions every twelve months will be allowed.
The private astronauts will be allowed to travel to ISS for a total of thirty days, but that is only if they can afford it. NASA has said that it will be charging all ISS tourists $35,000 or about £27,500 per night. That is quite a large sum of money, mind you. NASA will also not be determining if you can be part of the trip. This responsibility falls onto the shoulders of private commercial entities, which will make sure if the private astronauts meet the medical and training requirements for visiting ISS.
The companies that are involved in this project so far include SpaceX and Boeing. SpaceX has its Dragon capsule, and the Boeing has its Starliner. The companies will be charging tourists on a per flight basis as well, so you will also have this to your budget.
Would you be interested in visiting the ISS if you had enough money to spare? Do let us know!