Tired of the same old vacation destinations? Want a trip that will really impress the neighbors? Care to go someplace that is literally out of this world?
Then consider taking a trip into space. Space tourism sounds like something from the pages of a science fiction book, but in the not too distant future, anybody -- or at least anybody with a few hundred thousand dollars to spare -- will be able to choose their vacation destination from the mountains, the beach, or space.
Space tourism isn't completely unheard of. The Russian space agency has already sent two tourists to the international space station. Each of them paid about 20 million dollars for their trip.
In September 2004, the prospect of space tourism for more than a small handful of billionaires moved closer to reality. At that time, Richard Branson, the owner of Virgin Atlantic airline, announced that he planned to have a space travel business, dubbed Virgin Galactic, up and running in the year 2007. Customers will be able to travel 80 miles above the earth. While the trips will cost less than the 20 million dollars paid for the trips on the Russian shuttle, the price is still staggering -- $190,000 for a two-to-three hour flight.
Branson expects to build five rockets and to take 3,000 tourists into space within the first five years of Virgin Galactic's operation. His rockets will be based on technology used in SpaceShipOne, a rocket that was funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. As part of a competition in September 2004, SpaceShipOne reached an altitude of 64 miles above the earth. Branson's rockets will be larger versions of SpaceShipOne, carrying five people at a time. Final design plans for the first of his ships, to be called the VSS Enterprise, will be completed in 2005, and building and testing will then follow.
Passengers will take off from the Mojave desert, after spending a week training for their trips. Branson promises great views, large windows, luxurious seats, and four minutes of weightlessness.
In the future will be businesses that can take tourists even further into space. Visionaries expect that rockets will someday dock at huge space hotels orbiting the earth that can accommodate hundreds or even thousands of guests at a time. Besides enjoying views of the earth and of space, guests will be able to amuse themselves with zero-gravity sports. As more people travel into space, prices are expected to drop, and space travel will become affordable for the average person.
For those who don't want to wait, there are space-themed vacations that can be enjoyed right now. Summer space camps offer affordable programs for children, adults, and, through Elderhostel, seniors. Programs generally run from a few days to a week. The highlight of the camp sessions is training on flight simulators. Another, more expensive way to experience the effects of space without leaving the earth's atmosphere is to take a ride on a plane that climbs up and then quickly drops down, thus enabling passengers to experience zero gravity. Several companies offer these rides for the adventurous, on planes that have come to be known as "vomit comets."
