Will Also Develop Suborbital Spacecraft
The race for private
spaceflight got several boosts recently, with the latest coming
from orbital tourism company Space Adventures -- so far, the only
company that has put space tourists into orbit. Over the past
several days, the company has announced plans for a new spacecraft,
plans to build a $265 million spaceport in the United Arab
Emirates, and most recently, the development of yet another
spaceport in Singapore.
Last week, the company announced its partnership with an
investment firm founded by members of the Ansari family, of X-Prize
fame. The Prodea venture capital group will help finance suborbital
vehicles designed and built by Russian aerospace firm Myasishchev
Design Bureau, to be used by Space Adventures. The Explorer
spacecraft will have the capacity to transport up to five people to
space, and will be launched from a carrier aircraft similar in
concept to the method used by SpaceShipOne (and the upcoming larger
SpaceShipTwo.)
The Associated Press reports the new commercial spaceport in the
UAE (below) will be based at the southern end of the Persian Gulf,
near Ras Al-Khaimah. The UAE government is already in for $30
million, Space Adventures representatives told Aero-News.
Monday, Space Adventures also announced plans to develop a
multi-use spaceport in Singapore (below) -- which will include
astronaut training facilities. The cost is expected to be a
"minimum" $115 million USD.
"Singapore is one of the best-connected countries in the world,"
said Eric Anderson, president and CEO of Space Adventures. "It is
home to one of the world's busiest air and sea ports. Singapore,
with its superior geographical and economic infrastructure, is
primed to be the hub of a new, revolutionary form of travel –
in space."
Until now, Space Adventures is best known -- some would say
infamous -- for sending the first three space tourists into orbit,
arranging flights aboard Soyuz capsules bound for the
International Space Station. Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth, and
Gregory Olson reportedly paid the company $20 million each for the
privilege of riding third-seat aboard the Russian flights, with the
cash-strapped Russian space program eager for the business.
The price tag should be
considerably less for a suborbital flight.
Space Adventures made its announcement at a time when the race
for private spaceflight appears to be heating up even more than it
already has. Last week, ANN told you about the New Mexico Economic
Development Board's successful effort to win legislative
approval to start development of a $225 million
spaceport facility near Truth or Consequences, NM.
Sir Richard Branson's upstart space tourism venture, Virgin
Galactic, is expected to make its home at the NM facility. When
completed, the spaceport will also host the annual X-Cup exhibition
for other private spaceflight companies.