space tourism Do you have $52 million, now you can visit the ISS for a maximum of 30 days

[captain_to_fire]

Sources: NASA, CNBC

 

Quote

NASA has opened up the International Space Station (ISS) to tourists and already companies are buying rides to fly so-called “private astronauts” up to the laboratory in the sky for a visit.

 

For approximately $52 million per person, you can purchase a seat to fly with SpaceX – once Elon Musk’s space company begins flights to the ISS.

 

So anyone in the forum who is extremely rich like Warren Buffet level rich? You can now have your chance to go the ISS, just don't forget to vlog about it. But I don't think just because you are filthy dirty rich doesn't mean you will qualify to go to the ISS. You still have to fulfill NASA's requirements for being an astronaut or at least the majority of it.

1. Bachelor's degree in biological science, physical science, computer science or mathematics.
2. At least three years of related professional experience obtained after degree completion OR at least 1,000 hours pilot-in-command time on jet aircraft.
3. The ability to pass the NASA long-duration astronaut physical. Distant and near visual acuity must be correctable to 20/20 for each eye. The use of glasses is acceptable.

Basically if you have a pre-existing condition, that will automatically disqualify you. 

Quote

NASA will get $35,000 for each night a tourist spends on the ISS, according to agency officials. Pricing details on NASA’s website reveal those costs largely go toward things such as life support, food, air, energy and data.

$35,000 alone can get you a brand new car but inside the ISS, it's just for food, air, water, medical supplies, etc for a single day. Also, using the internet inside the ISS would cost $50/GB. 

 

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Stimulate Sustainable Demand

NASA continues to seek and pursue opportunities to stimulate sustainable commercial demand in low-Earth orbit and, to that end, has added two new focus areas to the NASA Research Announcement soliciting proposals for commercial concepts. these focus areas include in-space manufacturing, regenerative medicine, bioengineering, and other fields that may lead to a scalable, financially self-sustaining demand for low-Earth orbit capabilities.

 

In addition, NASA is seeking targeted studies to better understand real and perceived barriers of potential new market entrants and to address broad ideas which could help stimulate demand. Successful proposals will define the path to broadly foster market growth, provide data-driven rationale to support the defined path, and lead to recommendations on which NASA, industry or other organizations could act. More details are available in the synopsis for NextSTEP 2 BAA Appendix J. NASA expects to release the solicitation for Appendix J on June 14 with awards made by the end of the fiscal year.

 

NASA also is working to increase the research and development community’s understanding of the potential value of microgravity research and the path to conducting research in low-Earth orbit by coordinating across the microgravity community to lower barriers to entry and refinement of research via drop towers, parabolic, and suborbital flights.

 

Quantify NASA’s Long-term Demand

NASA is providing a forecast of its minimum long-term, low-Earth orbit requirements, representing the type and amount of services that NASA intends to purchase when those services become commercially available. The goal is to reduce uncertainty for commercial destination providers about NASA as a customer, and to help them make decisions about which NASA requirements they are interested in fulfilling.

 

NASA also is providing details and estimated quantities for NASA crew accommodation, human research, biological and physical science research, technology demonstrations, and hosted science instruments. In addition, NASA intends to continue purchasing services for a national laboratory capability in low-Earth orbit. For example, NASA’s strategy research in the areas of space biology, physical sciences, and fundamental physics is driven by recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Fundamental research and applied exploration research are not mutually exclusive, and advances in one area often enable advancements in the other. NASA’s Space Life and Physical Sciences Research Applications division has identified the highest research priorities for long-term use of low-Earth orbit: in life sciences, the priorities are studies of plants, model organisms, and of the microbiome of the built environment; and in physical sciences, the priorities are studies into combustion and phase change-associated energy transfer.

I'm not a physicist by education though the topics about space biology and regenerative medicine is what I'm looking forward to. In a medical school textbook "Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology 13th ed, pp. 561-568", it was summarized as to what happens to the human body when it's in an increasing altitude up to weightlessness in space.

 

In Zero Gravity...

• motion sickness during the first few days
• edema
• muscle atrophy
• decreased cardiac output, which means decreased oxygenation of tissues in the body
• increased susceptibility to bone fractures if flights lasted four to six months

It all means to say that the space is not meant for humanity to live in. If we as a species have to take evolution into our own hands and be accustomed to living in space as many sci-fi movies suggest, then majority of humanity should at least live in space for a few months at least and that alone would probably take so much resources. Perhaps with artificial gravity machines, scientists can carry out lab experiments in space either testing out drugs that can help alleviate symptoms or perhaps in a sci-fi level type of research, use CRISPR Cas-9 to genetically engineer astronauts to withstand the harsh environments in space. It would be exciting also if they find microorganisms that are not carbon based like us here on Earth. Maybe with the ISS biologists, they can find silicon based lifeforms. 

 

Perhaps what's gonna be hilarious is if a staunch Flat-Earther opens a GoFundMe or Patreon account until it reaches $52 million and decides to go to the ISS and he/she'll probably come back as bat shit crazy.

Edited June 12, 2019 by captain_to_fire

[NunoLava1998]

50$ a GB? Still less expensive than the greatest mobile 3G provider there is.

[captain_to_fire]

8 minutes ago, VegetableStu said:

GUNDAM SEED INTENSIFIES

I haven't watched it yet so I looked it up and somehow, this will wars between nations would look like. It's no longer here on Earth but on space. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylyAX9pKRBo

 

[soldier_ph]

Linus' trip to the ISS brought to you by Madrinas, and he'll drop it in the end.

[captain_to_fire]

Just now, Pascal... said:

Linus' trip to the ISS brought to you by Madrinas, and he'll drop it in the end.

He's get the worst altitude sickness of his life, far worse than when they did that LAN party in Colorado, and to make things worse he's gonna leave Luke again.

 

[GoldenLag]

holy shit that is cheap..........

 

like honestly. in weightless flights you pay roughly 810 $ per minute of weightlessness. 

 

with this you pay 1160$ per minute of weightlessness. and you get a rocket flight, and more included? this is a steal!

[Loote]

Looking at the requirements I'm under impression that it won't be too popular, if 1 person in 100 000 has the money, then you get another 1 in 100 000 or something chance that such person also fulfils or the requirements.

I saw higher prices for roaming on Earth

[GoldenLag]

8 minutes ago, Loote said:

Looking at the requirements I'm under impression that it won't be too popular, if 1 person in 100 000 has the money, then you get another 1 in 100 000 or something chance that such person also fulfils or the requirements.

it is kinda the point..........

 

its the ISS.

1. its not cheap
2. there is limited space
3. you need to especially interested
4. there is slow wifi
5. there would be complaints regarding the slow wifi.

im suprised if there is more than 2 tourists allowed at once.

[Loote]

I'm just thinking that they thought the whole process through, used resources to prepare it, but there's a chance that there won't be enough candidates to make it worth. We'll see though because I've no idea how to even approximate the demand.

[GoldenLag]

1 minute ago, Loote said:

I'm just thinking that they thought the whole process through, used resources to prepare it, but there's a chance that there won't be enough candidates to make it worth. We'll see though because I've no idea how to even approximate the demand.

you forgot to quote. but im pretty certain they are just repurposing regular training equipment for use. its not like they need a whole lot of extra to add another guy to the list of people going up. they send up people quite regurarly. 

[Rune]

I can't imagine they'd have much access on the ISS other than maybe one room. Its not....a hotel. Its mostly science based habitats up there.

[GoldenLag]

2 minutes ago, Rune said:

I can't imagine they'd have much access on the ISS other than maybe one room. Its not....a hotel. Its mostly science based habitats up there.

they probably have access to most of it. the station isnt all that large. 

 

being told to not touch anything is probably enough.

[Sauron]

34 minutes ago, Loote said:

Looking at the requirements I'm under impression that it won't be too popular, if 1 person in 100 000 has the money, then you get another 1 in 100 000 or something chance that such person also fulfils or the requirements.

I saw higher prices for roaming on Earth

It gives companies and universities the opportunity to run their own research on the space station though. Yes, you can already pay to get some research done for you but it's not quite the same as being there...

[greenhorn]

Next video on LTT: Linus goes to the ISS and deploys Cat 6.a cabling for 10Gbit ethernet. He also uses the opportunity to test outdoor-grade cables, carelessly drilling holes into the ISS's walls and then taking a space walk in his sandals.

[captain_to_fire]

14 minutes ago, greenhorn said:

Next video on LTT: Linus goes to the ISS and deploys Cat 6.a cabling for 10Gbit ethernet

No need since NASA got that one covered 

 

[greenhorn]

4 minutes ago, captain_to_fire said:

No need since NASA got that one covered 
[...]

 

As far as I can see, that modem has nothing to do with the ISS's internal wiring. Outdoor cables can also be used to connect two rooms in the same structure like it was done in a LTT video featuring Linus.

[Trik'Stari]

2 hours ago, NunoLava1998 said:

50$ a GB? Still less expensive than the greatest mobile 3G provider there is.

How are we not flooding them with connectivity and smuggling in free cell phones?

[captain_to_fire]

8 minutes ago, Trik'Stari said:

How are we not flooding them with connectivity and smuggling in free cell phones?

 

[Master Disaster]

Wait so they expect you to pay them for the privilege while also still being qualified? I understand the health and fitness tests but expecting me to pay while also being qualified is frankly ridiculous, what exactly am I paying for then?

[rcmaehl]

8 hours ago, Master Disaster said:

Wait so they expect you to pay them for the privilege while also still being qualified? I understand the health and fitness tests but expecting me to pay while also being qualified is frankly ridiculous, what exactly am I paying for then?

Gas.

I don't think they take the other two forms of payment

[captain_to_fire]

11 hours ago, Master Disaster said:

what exactly am I paying for then?

https://www.nasa.gov/leo-economy/commercial-use/pricing-policy

[Master Disaster]

2 hours ago, rcmaehl said:

Gas.

I don't think they take the other two forms of payment

 

16 minutes ago, captain_to_fire said:

https://www.nasa.gov/leo-economy/commercial-use/pricing-policy

You miss the point, if I'm paying fuel, board and lodgings by way of 50 million dollars why must I also have a degree.

 

That's akin to a hotel saying paying guests can only stay if they're qualified to clean the room after they've stayed.

[PlayStation 2]

There's better things to blow $52 million on, like a nice house and a fleet of Ford Crown Victorias.

[Shreyas1]

15 hours ago, NunoLava1998 said:

50$ a GB? Still less expensive than the greatest mobile 3G provider there is.

" Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki "

[Master Disaster]

2 minutes ago, Dan Castellaneta said:

There's better things to blow $52 million on, like a nice house and a fleet of Ford Crown Victorias.

Personally I'd start my own casino, with blackjack, and hookers.