by Playfuls Staff |
22nd July 2006
Space Adventures announced that
orbital spaceflight clients can now participate in a spacewalk during their
stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Also known as an
extra-vehicular activity (EVA), those clients interested in the spacewalk
option have the availability to spend up to 1.5 hours outside of the space
station. [more] Spacewalk candidates are required
to participate in approximately a month of EVA simulations and other
specialized training sessions, in addition to meeting the medical and physical
requirements, familiarizing themselves with the Russian Soyuz TMA spacecraft
and learning how to live aboard the ISS.
The current duration of a Space
Adventures' orbital spaceflight mission is 10 days. Past orbital clients have
paid $20 million (USD) for their spaceflight which includes six months of
cosmonaut training. The addition of a spacewalk would lengthen the mission
approximately six to eight days and the price for this option is $15 million
(USD).
"Russian cosmonaut Alexei
Leonov made history in 1965 when he took the first steps in space and since
then, less than 200 others have experienced the thrill of walking in space.
With the cooperation of the Federal Space Agency of Russia, Space Adventures is
proud to offer the EVA option to our orbital spaceflight clients," said
Eric Anderson, president and CEO of Space Adventures, Ltd. "Many of our
astronaut advisors have conducted spacewalks during their careers and their
experience will provide great insight to our EVA clients."
"At the conclusion of our
internal feasibility assessments and after careful consideration, we have come
to the conclusion that subject to personal physical and psychological
capabilities and with the completion of additional specific cosmonaut training,
spaceflight participants could potentially perform an EVA," said Alexei
Krasnov, director of the manned spaceflight department of the Federal Space
Agency of the Russian Federation.
Space Adventures has previously
sent three private explorers to space. In 2001, American Dennis Tito fulfilled
his dream of space travel, and in 2002, the 'First African in Space' Mark
Shuttleworth launched and, last October, American Greg Olsen, took flight.
Japanese entrepreneur, Daisuke Enomoto, is training for his spaceflight
currently scheduled for September.
