Space Tourism: The Ultimate Vacation?

[newsjunkie]

I am sure that many of us have dreamed of traveling to outer space? Experience weightlessness? See the whole Earth out the window of your spaceship? For most of us, it’s just a dream—or a nightmare! So far, only 450 people have ever travelled in space, all but three of them cosmonauts and astronauts. <br /><br />But for lucky people with the US $20 million for a ticket to space, it’s a dream come true. <br /><br />While the first female space tourist, Iranian-US businesswoman Anousheh Ansari, orbits the earth, back in New York, Gregory Olsen will be following her progress – he’s one of the three who have been there before. <br /><br />Read the amazing story of Olsen's own 10-day journey to the Space Station aboard the Russian Soyuz TMA-7 capsule last year here: http://www.orato.com/node/789<br />

 

[spaceenthus]

Actually, Annousheh is not the first female space "tourist" (depending on what your definition of space tourist is I suppose) and there have been more than 3 people in space who were not actual astronauts or cosmonauts (in the true sense). <br /><br />In 1991, Helen Sharman travelled to Mir and was not a full fledged astronaut or cosmonaut. (Some people would have termed her a trourist of sorts.)<br /><br />Also Senator Jake Garn flew on STS-51D and was not a full fledged astronaut and if I am not mistaken there was one other senator around that timeframe as well but I can't remember who...

 

[prospero]

"In 1991, Helen Sharman travelled to Mir and was not a full fledged astronaut or cosmonaut. (Some people would have termed her a trourist of sorts.) "<br /><br />What are your grounds for saying that? A tourist buys his or her ticket and isn't obliged to do any work during their trip. Helen Sharman answered a job advert, passed all the tests, was hired as an astronaut, succesfully went through the full cosmonaut researcher course, took an active part in the docking of the Soyuz capsule to Mir, performed a full programme of scientific experiments on behalf of the Soviet space programme and got paid for it all. If that didn't make her an astronaut, I don't see what else would.<br />

 

[spacefire]

I suggest you read this book:<br />Seize the moment - Helen Sharman - Orion Publishing Co - 1994 - ISBN 0575058196 <br /><br />Helen Sharman was as much of an astronaut/cosmonaut as any of the other foreigners that travelled to Mir<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[rfoshaug]

A bit like NASA's teacher in space program (although we all remember how that went, the question still stands - would Christa McAuliffe be considered a real astronaut? I would say definitely yes). <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff9900">----------------------------------</font></p><p><font color="#ff9900">My minds have many opinions</font></p> </div>