2024-01-04 09:57:21
This year, SpaceX will launch three space tourism missions, including a highly anticipated one that is sure to get people talking. In fact, following Inspiration4Jared Isaacman returns to space and this time he will perform a spacewalk!
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[EN VIDÉO] Space tourism It is an activity which is not new but which is becoming more and more “accessible”…
In 2024, several space tourism trips are planned. However, we exclude commercial suborbital flights from Blue Origin and Virgin GalacticVirgin Galactic, as well as stratospheric balloon projects that might take off soon. Although the SpaceShipTwo of Virgin Galactic flies above 80 kilometers of altitude and more than 100 kilometers of altitude for the Blue Origin capsule, this distinction aims to highlight space tourismauthentic space tourism, as offered by Axiom Space with stays aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and SpaceXSpaceX, prime contractor of the PolarisPolaris program and which is preparing a manned mission to the Moon.
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Space tourists: really?
Concerning these orbital manned flights, a question arises: can we really speak of space tourism when “space tourists” do not envisage their orbital stay without giving meaning to their journey by engaging in scientific and technological programs with a multitude of experiments and demonstrations to be carried out in orbit? Validated by NasaNasa, these programs are anything but anecdotal. For the teams involved, this is the unique opportunity to carry out experiments in orbit, a reality that is often inaccessible or much slower to reach.
Three tourist missions put into orbit by SpaceX
Unsurprisingly, SpaceX will be at the forefront of these orbital tourism missions in 2024 with three flights planned. The first, Axiom-3 (Ax-3), led by former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría, will begin in January with a crew of four people staying for several days aboard the ISS. They will conduct more than 30 different experiments during their mission. This crew will include the Swede Marcus Wandt, ESA project astronaut (“ project astronaut » in the difficult to understand jargon of the European Space AgencyEuropean Space Agency). As a reminder, Marcus Wandt was selected in 2022 into the ESA reserve astronaut corps.
A fourth manned mission for Axiom Space
Axiom Space will not stop there, also planning the mission AX-4 later this year, likely led by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who holds the record for 675 days in space, more than any other female astronaut in the world. Its launch is not scheduled before August.
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First spacewalk for two space tourists
In April, SpaceX will launch Polaris DawnDawnfirst of three manned missions of the Polaris program initiated by SpaceX and Jared Isaacman, of which this will be the second flight into space following the mission Inspiration4 which he financed. This highly anticipated mission will include the first private extravehicular walk (EVA) carried out by two space tourists, including Jared Isaacman.
“This highly anticipated mission will include the first private extravehicular walk (EVA) carried out by two space tourists”
Initially planned for the end of 2022, the mission was postponed due to adaptation and adjustments necessary to ensure a safe spacewalk from the Crew DragonCrew Dragon which does not have an exit airlock. During this unique outing, the vehicle will be completely depressurized due to this absence of an airlock. The other two crew members who will not go into space will be strapped in. We think they will be allowed to stick their heads out of the vehicle!
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