Virgin Galactic inks deal with NASA to train astro-tourists looking to buy a seat to the International Space Station Virgin Galactic, the company that has yet to send a paying passenger on a sub-orbital lob, let alone trouble anything more challenging, has opened the door to "Private Orbital Spaceflight". Not that its SpaceShipTwo, which has notched up a pair of sub-orbital flights, will be going anywhere near orbit. The deal is strictly for …
Richard Branson's team instead plans to provide "an unparalleled, personalized customer experience for orbital space travel" for those that sign up for its orbital astronaut readiness programme.
I have only one searching question of Sir Richard's novel enterprise. In Premier First Classes are Experiences as a Pirate Feast for Private Eyes?
think about it - multiple private companies trying to offer space-related things, which maybe in 5 years or so would be actual space craft launching with private citizens in them, to an orbital getaway.
Could it help to pay for a "hotel wing" to the ISS? Maybe. One of those inflatable add-ons perhaps. Inflatables. Heh. And a new level to achieve for the mile-high club.
All good! (think of the history of flight in general, and we're on a good path right now)
The balloon habitat - built by Bigelow - is still up there - used for monitoring and storage now, I think.
Its called BEAM, and been very successful.
It is now planned to stay up as long as the ISS does.
I believe that they passed on NASAs tender for a larger module fir ISS- not enough in it for them at 500M, but have offered to assist on Artemis.
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