The next space race is on, and this time it’s for the masses. I shouldn’t have used the word ‘masses’ as the mesmerizing voyage is meant for those uber-rich only who can afford $200,000 per seat to enrich themselves with that zero-gravity weightlessness. But, space travel is not that painless as it might be prone to a crash or some other problem. But now, Alex Tai, chief operating officer for British tycoon Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic space venture, has cited:
God forbid it should happen on the first flight. Hopefully it’s many, many years out.
He wanted to say that the space tourism companies can survive the likely disaster if they presage passengers of the risks that a privately run rocket ship could crash. He further said that pre-warnings would not let the customers sue the operators if any unfortunate thing happens. Moreover, people are well acquainted with the risks involved with space travel following those two disasters with NASA-operated space shuttles.
The test flights will be carried out next year by Virgin Galactic while the commercial flights will start in late 2009 or early 2010. Another company Benson Space Co. has also the plans for a 2009 launch although Chairman James W. Benson said that the firm will revamp its Dream Chaser spaceship to make it lighter and more aerodynamic.
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Virgin Galactic has plans for a pressurized cabin in the spaceship so that the passengers don’t have to wear bulky space suits but they will still have to get dressed up like astronauts. Well, there will be no check on the height and weight of the passengers as the Federal Aviation Administration refused to have need of medical clearances. Anyhow, the people with grave heart problems might be told not to go for an early flight. Doug Griffith, a risk management expert said that the space tourism companies can shield themselves from lawsuits by publicizing the perils of space travel.
Virgin Galactic flight will take on-board two pilots and six passengers. Space Adventures Ltd., another company in the field, is planning $100,000 suborbital flights that will begin around 2009. But, all these measures will certainly turn off the customers but the step of telling the harms of space travel is appreciable as we all know that prevention is better than cure.
Via: MSNBC
