Money can do a lot of things, including taking you to a five-star space camp that would entice your fancy while learning about the science and technology needed to make a trip to outer space.
Seattle-based Orbite hopes to provide exactly just that. The startup founded by American entrepreneur Jason Andrews and French entrepreneur Nicolas Gaume announced its plans to establish a Spaceflight Gateway and Astronaut Training Complex on July 14.
A model rocket from Kennedy Space Center
Their camp would offer luxury accommodations, dining, and recreation for commercial astronauts, their families, and friends.
The announcement follows the successful launch of SpaceX and NASA DM-2 in late May. Furthermore, Gaume considers it a positive indication of the space tourism industry and forthcoming passenger flights.
The company says their next level Space Camp would be for those willing to put money into a trip to space or those simply curious to see what space tourism might somehow look like someday.
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Training for Space Travel
It can take up to two years of training before one becomes a fully qualified astronaut, according to NASA. Aspiring astronauts must learn the basics of the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station.
Furthermore, they should also learn how to be part of a team by flying the NASA T-38 training jets.
Although Orbite didn't give much information about the location and specifics of the space camp, Gaume confirmed that its initial location would be domestic for easy access to American space tourists.
They claim that the launch would be timely as Americans are still faced with travel restrictions due to fears of further outbreaks of COVID-19. The startup hopes to start astronaut training programs as early as 2021.
Gaume shared some insights into saying that training is the focus of their program. "We're here to help people get prepared," he says. Accommodations and restaurants will also be provided as he said they wanted to provide people with a complete experience.
Space Camp for the Rich and Privileged
Space Camp, Space Academy, Space Camp Robotics, and Aviation Challenge are some of the most common space camps available. They provide weeklong and overnight programs offered January through November at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
They have programs for children, families, adults, and educators. However, Orbite's space camp might be quite different from the camps mentioned above.
When asked what kind of customers Orbite might like to attract, Gaume said they visualize their dominant customer to be "wealthier individuals who could afford orbital or suborbital flights."
Nonetheless, he also discussed how some customers might also want to train even if they do not intend to fly.
The discussion prompted of how the Space Camp and Orbite could meet the global demand for a much higher experience in providing practical space training but also an attainable method in providing people with a means to visit space someday.
Furthermore, Gaume also said they wanted to ensure that they offered complimentary training and to elevate what their programs would be offering. "We want our guests to feel they're getting more out of our training on top of what they get from the provider," he concluded.
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