Space Flight Bookings Web Site Opens
For
the first time, a Web site in the UK is offering high-rolling travelers
the chance to book their own holiday in space.
Richard Baguley, a spokesperson for Realbuzz.co.uk, the site offering
the six-day excursions, said that, while the service is a little
tongue in cheek at the moment, the moment technology for civilian
trips into space becomes available, Realbuzz will process the holiday
reservation.
"It's a genuine service. We're almost there in terms of having the
facilities to offer holidays in space," he said.
The Web site, which says it is aimed at "busy 18-45 year-olds who
want to live life to the full," also offers more down-to-earth, but
equally exciting trips and holidays, including traveling to the ends
of the earth, climbing an active volcano, driving a Formula One car
or flying a jet.
Naked New Media, the firm behind the site, says that the possibility
of "ordinary people" - albeit well heeled - going into space on a
private flight is soon to become a reality.
This is because groups of aerospace engineers, scientists, astronauts
and adventure travel specialists are working around the world to
design, build and fly passenger-carrying sub-orbital spacecraft - the
first of which are currently scheduled for lift off within the next 18
months.
The craft for these space flights are being designed for passengers -
not highly trained astronauts - meaning anyone in good health will be
able to fly.
Thanks to its research into the possibility, Realbuzz has even
provisionally priced up a space holiday at 62,000 pounds ($93,000)
and says that this price includes accommodation, all meals, plus the
essentials of flight suit, space logbook and training classes.
Less expensive options, and those which are really available today,
include zero gravity flights at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training
Center in Star City, Russia, at 3,415 pounds ($5,100), per person.
Alternatively, for slightly more, travelers may be interested in a
journey to the edge of space in a MiG-25 - traveling at 80,000 feet
above the Earth and rocketing at more than twice the speed of sound -
for 7,975 pounds ($12,000).
The man behind the site is Tom Rogers, a world record-holding marathon
runner, the founder of Naked New Media, who said that Realbuzz is
aimed at busy professionals who want to get the most out of life, but
don't have the time to spend arranging it.
"Realbuzz.co.uk gives a wide choice of activities, hobbies and
interests for those who want to get the most out of life," he said,
adding that people can just browse if they want to learn about a sport
or activity.
"Or they can easily book on-line for an officially approved training
center of activity operator, if they want to take part," he added.
Realbuzz's Web site is at http://www.realbuzz.co.uk.
Reported by Newsbytes.com, http://www.newsbytes.com.