EADS Astrium
Astrium rockets into Space Tourism.
Astrium is a European company subsidiary 100% by EADS and dedicated to supply space systems and services.
On June 13th 2007, they presented a revolutionary vehicle for Space Tourism in an event in Paris. This vehicle has the size of a business jet and has been designed to take four passengers to an altitude of 100 km, entering Space and remaining 3-5 minutes in zero gravity.
During the event they showed a real size model of the front part of this revolutionary vehicle, including the cabin designed by Marc Newson.
The Astrium Space plane will take off and land on a conventional way from a standard airport using their turbine engines. Arriving at an altitude of 12 km the rocket engine will switch on to supply enough acceleration to reach the Space frontier. In only 80 seconds the spaceship will have reached an altitude of 60 km. At this moment the propulsion engine will turn off and the inertia will take care to take the spaceship to its destiny, 100 km, where the tourists will experience the zero gravity in space in a marvellous fashion.
The innovated seats adjust themselves to minimize the G forces effects to guarantee more comfort and security to the passengers.
After slowing down velocity during descent, the turbines will start up again to land in a conventional and safe way at a standard airport. The complete trip has a duration of aproximately one and a half hours.
If the project continues as planned they estimate to start operations in year 2012, and the price per person will be between 150.000 and 200.000 €.
Astrium rockets into Space Tourism.
Astrium is a European company subsidiary 100% by EADS and dedicated to supply space systems and services.
On June 13th 2007, they presented a revolutionary vehicle for Space Tourism in an event in Paris. This vehicle has the size of a business jet and has been designed to take four passengers to an altitude of 100 km, entering Space and remaining 3-5 minutes in zero gravity.
During the event they showed a real size model of the front part of this revolutionary vehicle, including the cabin designed by Marc Newson.
The Astrium Space plane will take off and land on a conventional way from a standard airport using their turbine engines. Arriving at an altitude of 12 km the rocket engine will switch on to supply enough acceleration to reach the Space frontier. In only 80 seconds the spaceship will have reached an altitude of 60 km. At this moment the propulsion engine will turn off and the inertia will take care to take the spaceship to its destiny, 100 km, where the tourists will experience the zero gravity in space in a marvellous fashion.
The innovated seats adjust themselves to minimize the G forces effects to guarantee more comfort and security to the passengers.
After slowing down velocity during descent, the turbines will start up again to land in a conventional and safe way at a standard airport. The complete trip has a duration of aproximately one and a half hours.
If the project continues as planned they estimate to start operations in year 2012, and the price per person will be between 150.000 and 200.000 €.