1.    It’s in low-Earth orbit
The ISS is in low-Earth orbit.  This means that even though it is in space it is still subject to Earth’s gravity and is falling back to Earth, but it is traveling at such speed (approx. 17,500 mile per hour) that it is actually falling around Earth.  It is typically 250 miles above the Earth’s surface, and because the Earth is rotating beneath it, every time the ISS orbits the Earth it is over a different part of the Earth’s surface, and it passes over 90% of the Earth’s population.  This means the astronauts on board have an ever changing and very spectacular view, and have taken millions of photos.

2.    It’s the result of unprecedented international partnership
The ISS is the result of over 20 years of international co-operation between 16 countries (the USA, Russia, Japan, Canada and major European countries).  It has cost over $100bn to build and operate.  We cannot think of another scientific project of a similar cost or scope.  The closest we came is the $10bn Large Hadron Collider in CERN, but this is a purely European venture.  

3.    It has huge scientific value
The ISS does actually have a scientific value.  Aside from all that has been learned in the development and construction of such a massive facility in space… it has been used to conduct science research in areas such as material science, drug discovery and Earth observation.  The microgravity laboratory has hosted more than 2,400 research investigations from researchers in more than 103 countries. 

In addition, a huge amount has been learned about how humans change and adapt to long duration spacefights, which is of huge value as we plan missions to Mars and beyond.

4.    It’s the third brightest object in the night sky
The ISS is massive.  The solar array wingspan (240 feet) is about the same length as the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380. The space station is 357 feet end-to-end, one yard shy of the full length of an American football field.  The ISS can easily be seen in the night sky with the naked eye.  You just need to know where to look for it, and handily NASA has developed a great Spot the ISS service – simply enter your email address and home location and you will receive notifications when the ISS is due to pass overhead at night.  

You can also track the ISS in real time at:

http://www.isstracker.com

5.    It’s a destination
The ISS is typically staffed by a crew of six professional astronauts, who keep the station in good working order, and conduct the science experiments.  230 individuals from 18 countries have visited the International Space Station.  It has also served as the destination of seven private citizens (on eight missions, as one flew twice).  Each private citizen was a customer of Space Adventures, and flew to the ISS on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.  See a video about their experience.

6.    It’s a great location for a music video
The ISS serves as a great location for a music video as demonstrated by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who in his spare time during a 6 month stay recorded this hugely popular viral video.

7.    It’s spurring private space competency
The ISS is a government program, but it was built and is managed by private companies under contract to respective government space agencies.  NASA has taken this one step further and started to purchase “Commercial Off-the-shelf Transportation Services” (COTS).  This basically means is paying a firm fixed price to a company to deliver cargo to the ISS.  This has contributed greatly to the development of two new rockets and spacecraft – Orbital’s Antares and Cygnus, and the SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon.  

NASA is taking this one step further by applying the same concept to the delivery of astronauts to the ISS through its Commercial Crew Program.  Boeing and SpaceX have been selected to transport crew to the ISS from the United States. As a result of the Commercial Crew Program huge steps forward have been taken in the development of new, re-usable manned spacecraft.  These vehicles will be available for use by other space agencies and private companies.   

The post 7 things everyone should know about the International Space Station first appeared on Space Adventures.

Only Chinese professional astronauts (or taikonauts) are allowed to fly on the Shenzhou, but the Russian Soyuz has flown private and professional astronauts from all over the world.

The Soyuz currently flies four times per year to the International Space Station, each time carrying three astronauts.  It has an exceptional track record for reliability, having flown over 120 times consecutively without loss of life (last was Soyuz 11 in 1971).  So while it may not be the most attractive or “bad ass” looking spacecraft when compared to the newly designed Boeing CST-100 Starliner or SpaceX Dragon V2 spacecraft (see below), it has a track record of safety that will be tough to match in the coming decades.

The Soyuz has also been continually upgraded since the day it went into service.  The most recent round of upgrades went into effect in July 2016, with the launch of Soyuz-MS-01 which featured upgrades to reduce the mass of the docking system, a smaller on-board computer and upgraded solar panels.  And have launched successfully eight times since the upgrade, the most recent flight being Soyuz-MS-08 on March 21, 2018.  So while it maintains largely the same look from outside as the first day it flew, the spacecraft is definitely state of the art.

The Soyuz consists of three parts (as shown in the picture below):

• The Orbital module at the top – which provides living space for the crew while in orbit (for example during approach to the ISS).
• The Descent module in the middle – which is where the crew sit during launch and re-entry, and is the only part of the spacecraft to return to Earth.
• The Instrument module at the bottom – which is home to fuel-tanks, maneuvering engines, solar panels and other instruments.

The Soyuz can accommodate up to three crew members, and has enough life support for 30 person days (or 10 days for a crew of three).

During launch the spacecraft, with its solar panels folded in, is housed inside the faring in the top of a Soyuz rocket.  See image below:

The Soyuz may be based on cold war technology, but its continual program of updates have helped it see off far more complex, expensive craft such as the space shuttle.  Its success led to its basic form being copied by the Chinese Shenzhou, and all manned orbital class spacecraft now in development are capsules rather than winged vehicles.  While its long term future may be in doubt as the Russian authorities contemplate a replacement, the Soyuz is sure to be around for a while yet.

The post Soyuz spacecraft – success through continual improvement first appeared on Space Adventures.

The Soyuz spacecraft launches on the Soyuz rocket, which like the spacecraft has a long track record of successful operation.  First flown in 1966, Soyuz rockets in various configurations are used to launch payload such as cargo to the ISS, satellites to geo-stationary orbits and deep space expeditions, as well as the Soyuz manned spacecraft.

The Soyuz rocket used to launch the Soyuz spacecraft carrying a crew of three to the International Space Station

The Soyuz is an all liquid fueled rocket. It has four ‘strap on’ boosters and a center core that power the launch, producing nearly 1,000,000 lbs/foot of thrust.

The strap on boosters are discarded when all their fuel has been used – about two minutes after launch. The center core of the first stage continues for a further two and a half minutes, and then the upper stage engine starts and powers the spacecraft to 17,500 mph about 9 minutes after launch, before it too is discarded.

The Soyuz rocket is assembled while lying on its side, in a large building a couple miles from the launch pad.

A Soyuz rocket awaiting assembly at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Two days before launch the fully assembled, but not fueled rocket is pulled by train to the launch pad.

A Soyuz rocket being taken by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Seen from underneath the Soyuz rocket is positioned on the launch pad.

Once vertical the rocket is held in place around the waist by cantilever arms, so the engines are not resting on anything.

The Soyuz rocket, supported at the waist, photographed from under the launch pad.

On launch day the rocket is fueled, and the crew enter the spacecraft less than 2 hours before launch.

The combination of these two great vehicles – the Soyuz spacecraft on top of the Soyuz rocket – have enabled manned exploration of low Earth orbit for the last 40 years, and without them we would still be stuck on Earth.

The post Soyuz Rocket – successfully launching humans to space for over 40 years. first appeared on Space Adventures.

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By Richard Garriott
Private Space Explorer

Since the beginning of our time on Earth, mankind has looked up at the sky and pondered the mysteries of the universe. We’ve gazed at planets, mapped the stars, and watched as people like my father traveled outside our world to learn more about our surroundings. Today, space is no longer a distant and impossible destination. Thanks to Space Adventures, I was able to follow in my father’s footsteps and see the world as only astronauts had for decades. Now is the time to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fly to space and these are a few reasons why:

The Experience

Life is a collection of stories and experiences. When we look back on our lives, we value our time based on the memories we have accumulated and the people we have shared them with. My space flight is something that will live with me forever. I shared the experience with crew mates whom I lived alongside in the months beforehand, as well as my time in space, and we will always share the bond of this out-of-this-world experience. I now take a great deal of pleasure in being able to share my experience in formal settings such as at schools and during speaking engagements, and also with the new people I meet in social and professional settings.

The Challenge

If you are in a position to be able to consider a private spaceflight in the next few years, you are probably at the height of your career. Spaceflight challenged me in ways I had not encountered for some time previously. The training strengthened me physically, technically, intellectually and psychologically, exercising my body and mind in many ways. I also became part of a team where each member’s safety depends on the performance of others. The intensity of our teamwork and trust taught me lessons applicable to all aspects of my life.

The Inspiration

Space is a source of fascination and wonder for people of all ages. Being one of the elite few who have seen Earth from the perspective of space, I have the opportunity to inspire and motivate others to achieve their dreams. I want to encourage those who know my story to not let anything get in the way of their goals and to, literally, shoot for the stars.

The Leading Edge

Mankind only makes progress when individuals stand up and dare to be first. Private spaceflight is in the phase where pioneers are needed to set an example and make history. By standing up and deciding to participate in spaceflight now you will help us demonstrate that there is a sustainable market, and help to justify the investment of time, money and brainpower going into making it easier and more affordable for those who will follow. You can be a catalyst for progress.

The post Reasons you should fly to space first appeared on Space Adventures.

On July 20, 1969 (45 years ago on Sunday), Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first people to set foot on the moon. This momentous feat was repeated five more times, yet no one has been on the moon or in lunar orbit since the last Apollo mission in 1972.

Private entities have made spaceflight a goal since the dawn of the Space Age. Following the lead of government programs, such as NASA, these companies have helped spur the development of new technologies that have helped mankind extend their reach into the universe. Private enterprises have breached the atmosphere and have launched into orbital flight, but now their sights are set higher.

The next step for commercial space ventures, as well as government programs, is the moon. Recent projects such as NASA’s LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) mission and China’s Yutu lunar rover use the moon as a method of learning more about our solar system. For commercial enterprises, escaping Earth’s orbit is their next big adventure. The Google Lunar X Prize is currently challenging privately funded teams to land and maneuver a rover on the moon while sending back video, all by the end of 2015.

There’s even the chance for private citizens to experience the moon first-hand. Space Adventures is working on a lunar mission that will allow two passengers and a professional cosmonaut to launch outside of Earth’s orbit, fly around the far side of the moon, and return to Earth after coming 100 km from the surface of the moon. This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for not only the passengers, but for the space industry. Sending people close to the moon for the first time in 40 years is key milestone for sending people farther – potentially even as far as Mars.

As the human race ventures further into space, the moon will become a stepping stone. The time has come for us to go beyond our current scope and to, quite literally, aim for the stars. Thanks to the path that Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and the rest of the Apollo astronauts have forged, the idea of space travel outside Earth’s orbit can become a reality.

The post Taking the Next Step for Mankind first appeared on Space Adventures.

Drawing inspiration from real events is a staple in the entertainment industry, but less common is when science takes a cue from Hollywood.

Two such examples of the big screen inspiring science can be found in NASA’s probe, Deep Impact, and Planetary Resources’ telescope, ARKYD. NASA’s probe was named for the 1998 science fiction disaster film of the same name.Deep Impact, staring Robert Duvall, Tea Leoni, Elijah Wood and Morgan Freeman, chronicles the attempt to destroy a 7-mile wide comet set to collide with Earth, which would result in global extinction. NASA drew inspiration from this film, naming its tiny comet-seeking probe after it. The spacecraft purposefully collided with a comet on July 4, 2005 studying the celestial body’s composition and behavior. This controlled collision helped researchers answer important questions about the icy giant, such as where it originated and how it was formed. Answers to these and other questions could help scientists prepare for and prevent a disaster, much like the probe’s movie counterpart suggests.

Similarly, Planetary Resources’ ARKYD also bears a name taken from a major motion picture: Star Wars. According to President and Chief Engineer Chris Lewicki, “Arakyd Industries was originally a supplier of exploration droids, its most noteworthy achievement being the Viper probe droid model. The Viper model was based on the success of Galalloy Industries early probe droids – the first true probe droids to search planets and asteroids for valuable resources.” Like in the film, ARKYD telescopes will be able to find and characterize resource rich asteroids to mine, as well as study. The tiny, but mighty machine can also monitor these rogue rocks in case one gets too close for comfort.

Sometimes reality is more exciting than fiction. So the next time you’re watching the newest Sci-Fi blockbuster, don’t pass it off as Hollywood hype. Who knows, one day it might just become a reality!

The post When Life Imitates Art first appeared on Space Adventures.

Today marks 19 years since the premiere of Ron Howard’s blockbuster movie, Apollo 13. Considered one of the most iconic space movies of all time, this film inspired generations of people on the wonder of spaceflight while setting the bar for future cosmic cinematics.

But how does a director or an actor realistically portray the weightlessness of space without actually going to space? Enter the ZERO-G Experience, or as we like to call it, the weightless movie studio.

The ZERO-G Experience is the identical weightless flight encounter used by NASA to train its astronauts and used by Ron Howard and Tom Hanks to film Apollo 13. “If we’d had to do it with wires — if we really would’ve had to try to create the weightlessness with wires, I shudder to think what the movie would have looked like,” said Apollo 13 Director Ron Howard. Howard shot the movie over the course of 40 weightless flights to achieve the authentic portrayal of space.

On board a specially modified Boeing 727, parabolic arcs are performed to create a weightless environment enabling passengers to float, flip and soar as if they were in space. This allows guests to experience true weightlessness – once only known to astronauts.

Decades later, Hollywood continues to rely on weightless flights to produce captivating yet realistic galactic thrillers. In preparation for Warner Brother’s smash hit Gravity with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón flew with ZERO-G to understand the weightlessness of space. And just recently, Halle Berry experienced ZERO-G to get ready for CBS’ upcoming science fiction television series, Extant. Berry said, “Doing the zero gravity flight helped me an awful lot, just to put that experience in my body.”

But ZERO-G’s production magic goes beyond the depths of space. Its weightless flights have been used for countless shoots from high-flying commercials to movies like Matrix 2 and Matrix 3 to make those special effects a reality.  It even served as the set for a special Good Morning America segment called GMA Defies Gravity with Diane Sawyer, Robin Roberts, Chris Cuomo and Sam Champion.

The post To Hollywood…And Beyond! first appeared on Space Adventures.

Growing up in a household that revolved around galactic missions, rockets and NASA experiments, it’s no surprise that Richard Garriott formed an early and everlasting love of the cosmos. His father, NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, was one of the first six Scientist-Astronauts chosen to study aboard Skylab. During this mission, he spent approximately 60 days in space – a world record – and conducted extensive experimental studies of our sun and Earth resources.

Thirty-five years later, it was his father’s missions that inspired wildly successful video game designer and entrepreneur Richard Garriott to follow in his footsteps, traveling to space on his own dime with Space Adventures, becoming the first second-generation American in space and only the sixth private space explorer in history.

In 2008, Richard launched aboard Soyuz TMA-13 to the International Space Station. High above the Earth, Richard saw the world the way his father had and captured images of the same views. One can only imagine the cosmic bond formed from one generation to the next after seeing the world from the same perspective, just decades apart. Garriott said, “This mission to the ISS fulfilled a lifelong dream to experience spaceflight as my father first did 35 years ago; it’s an honor to be the first American to follow a parent into space.”

Garriott also participated in a number of experiments and educational efforts ranging from communicating with students from the Challenger Center for Space Science Education to working with The Nature Conservancy to photograph several ecologically significant places on Earth. The photographs were compared to shots taken by Garriott’s father to document how the Earth has changed in one generation.

“While in space, I had the opportunity to conduct scientific experiments and environmental research, but what was most rewarding was speaking to students. Growing up in an astronaut family, I firmly believed that every person could go to space, and now I have. I took this opportunity to inspire them with my adventure and let them know they can achieve their wildest dreams as well with hard work and perseverance.”

Father’s Day is a time to celebrate all our fathers have taught us – how to ride a bike, play catch, cook breakfast on Sunday mornings – but for the Garriotts, the bond between father and son extends far beyond Earth into the depths of space. Ironically, the vast emptiness of space became that which brought two people closer together.

Click to see Space.com’s compelling documentary about this father/son legacy:
The Garriotts: An American Legacy (Part 1)

The Garriotts: An American Legacy (Part 2)

The post Owen and Richard Garriott: A Father/Son Bond Forged in the Depths of Space first appeared on Space Adventures.

See how our space explorers fared while going about their “normal” daily routines

With the thrill, adventure and prestige associated with traveling to space, it can be easy to forget that simple everyday tasks are made extraordinary. In zero gravity, ordinary functions such as bathing, eating and sleeping can feel like an adventure to astronauts. For the seven private space explorers that have flown with us, learning how to accomplish these tasks was taught alongside emergency drills and procedures.

Watch below to see how our astronauts coped with daily routines we take for granted:

Intergalactic Dining: Watch private astronaut Richard Garriott scoop his hot and sour soup like Jell-O, showing curious viewers how astronauts eat in zero gravity. Garriott traveled to the International Space Station in 2008.

Zero Gravity Grooming: Can you imagine if it took this long to wash your hair every morning? Anousheh Ansari, the first female private space explorer, shares her tedious routine aboard the ISS. While aboard the spacecraft, she also blogged, giving fans back on earth a glimpse into her experiences: http://www.anoushehansari.com/blog/092706.php

Drifting While Dreaming: Catching some ZZZs while floating may not seem like a difficult task but Richard Garriott tells us more about how those aboard the ISS must tether their sleeping bags to the floor or wall so they don’t float away!

The post Relearning the Little Things: Astronauts’ Everyday Adventures While Living In Zero Gravity first appeared on Space Adventures.

Today marks 13 years since Dennis Tito became the world’s first private space explorer. Working with us, Tito was able to make space travel a reality – a dream he fought long and hard to achieve. 

Tito’s journey began in the late 70s when he was an engineer in NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab.  Although he eventually left for a career in finance, he never gave up his passion for space. Fast forward to 2000 – with his 60^th birthday just around the corner, Tito decided it was now or never.

In 2001 we provided him with an opportunity decades in the making. That April, Tito became the first commercial space explorer, taking a ride on a Russian Soyuz to the International Space Station. The flight is the first major milestone in commercial space travel history.

Still, getting there wasn’t easy. Worried about making the leap to private exploration, NASA wanted to ensure the flight was safe which delayed the process at times. Tito’s success as a space tourist showed NASA that it could be done, and since then the agency has fully supported the other space passengers who have graced the galaxy. 

Since Tito’s maiden voyage, seven other citizens have flow with us. And we aren’t done yet! Soon there will be another star in space, celebrity soprano Sarah Brightman. Known for her heavenly voice, Brightman will get to experience the heavens first hand.

We’ll make history again with the world’s first private mission around the Moon. Untouched since 1972, this celestial body will host visitors once again in 2017. The mission will provide two private explorers and one professional cosmonaut with breathtaking views of the far-side of the Moon, as well as the stunning sight of the Earth rising above the surface of the Moon.

So, thank you Dennis Tito for your unwillingness to give up a lifelong dream to journey into the cosmos, inspiring the future of space exploration for everyone. You may not have gone where no man had gone before, but you achieved something that no private citizen had achieved before. That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for citizen-kind!

The post 13 Years Later – Reflecting On The World’s First Private Space Flight first appeared on Space Adventures.