A U.S. company said on Wednesday it wants to send
two tourists on a trip around the moon at a cost of $100 million per
ticket.
Space Adventures Ltd, which has already sent two
civilians on separate trips into space, says it has researched and
identified more than a thousand prospective customers with the necessary
wealth for a moon shot
as early as 2008.
"This is only the first step. Before we can land on the moon, we have
to go around it," said Space Adventures' Chief Executive Officer Eric
Anderson at a news conference.
The Arlington, Virginia, company plans to lead missions that will
eventually land on the moon.
The trip around the moon would last between eight and 21 days,
depending on whether the travelers make a stop at the International Space
Station.
Potential customers already discussing the $100 million tickets include
several Americans and one Briton, Anderson said.
Aside from wealth, potential moon travelers will need time to train for
the mission and must meet health requirements.
Space Adventures and Russia's Space Agency, which is eager to attract
extra funds, have sent two tourists into space -- U.S. businessman Dennis
Tito and South African Mark Shuttleworth -- on week-long trips. They cost
$20 million each, according to media reports.
Energiya, the Russian company that helps build
and fly Moscow's spaceships, will build the equipment necessary for
the round-the-moon mission. (Agencies) |
本周三(8月10日),一家美國公司表示有意為兩名旅游者提供環繞月球旅行的機會,每張票的價格是一億美元。
太空探險有限公司曾兩次成功地將兩名普通旅行者送入太空。該公司表示它們已調查并找到超過1000名有財力最早在2008年進行繞月旅行的潛在客戶。
“這僅僅是第一步。在我們能夠登上月球之前,先繞著它旅行。”太空探險公司的CEO埃里克·安德森在一次新聞發布會上說。
這家位于弗吉尼亞州阿靈頓郡的公司計劃在不久的將來完成登上月球的最終任務。
繞月旅行將持續8到21天,主要取決于旅行者是否在國際空間站逗留。
安德森說,已經開始討論價值一億美元的“機票”的潛在客戶包括幾名美國人和一名英國人。
除了足夠富有外,潛在的月球旅行者還要花一定的時間接受飛行任務訓練,而且必須達到一定的健康要求。
太空探險公司和渴望吸引更多資金的俄羅斯航天局已將兩名旅行者成功送入太空,進行了為期一周的旅行,他們是美國商人丹尼斯·蒂托和南非的馬克·夏特爾沃斯。據媒體報道,他們為此各花費了兩千萬美金。
協助制造并放飛多艘莫斯科太空飛船的俄羅斯艾尼及亞火箭與空間公司將為繞月飛行制造必需的設備。
(中國日報網站譯) |