Commercial flights will have decidedly sub-NASA training rules for their wealthy tourists
The so-called space billionaires—Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and Elon Musk—imagine a day when people will live and work up there, gradually transforming humanity into a multiplanet species. The current step in that direction is the space tourism industry, which, starting as soon as 2018, will let civilians escape Earth’s grasp for a few minutes in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
We’re well past the days when every astronaut needed Chuck Yeager-caliber right stuff, but the scientists and other civilians NASA has sent to space so far still had to undergo the agency’s formidable training. Because the government is leaving it largely to the commercial space companies to work out their own regimens, far less physical or psychological preparation will be needed for the wealthy people on these spaceflights. While research suggests average humans will be able to handle the physical stresses of millions of pounds of thrust powering an ascent that reaches thousands of miles per hour, Bezos’ Blue Origin, Branson’s Virgin Galactic, and Musk’s SpaceX are entering uncharted territory.
“It’s not like just walking on an airplane and putting on your lap belt and reading a book or falling asleep,” says Dr. James Vanderploeg, chief medical officer for Virgin Galactic LLC, which could begin launching suborbital flights next year. And the bigger question, according to the latest research, is whether people who aren’t real astronauts or fighter pilots can handle the psychological stress of leaving the planet strapped to a rocket.
Denne historien er fra January 01, 2018-utgaven av Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra January 01, 2018-utgaven av Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Golfing With The Enemy
Did Donald Trump's executives violate the Cuban embargo?
Super-Rich Syrians Wait for War's End
Actor, author, playwright. Gill Pringle tries her hand at unravelling the mystery behind this enigmatic multi-hyphenate
Pam Codispoti
The mastermind behind the industry-shaping Chase Sapphire Reserve Card sets her sights on banking
This Time It's The Economy
President Rouhani’s budget sets offprotests from people angry about unemployment and inflation
Saudi Prince Counts On Support Of Citizens
State-worker salary increases appeal to the people, but policy may throw the budget off track
Stalin's Legacy Is Choking The Ukrainian Economy
The government has resisted pressure to lift a ban on land sales, despite pressure from the IMF and investors
Catastrophe Bonds Survive A Stormy Year
The turbulence of 2017 couldn’t destroy a market for betting against disasters
Riding The West Bank's Credit Boom
Increased consumer lending is creating a bubble in the West Bank
You'd Be Crazy To Buy Pizza With Bitcoin
Speculative fervour makes the cryptocurrency clumsy for commerce
What If The President Loses His Party?
Trump has to figure out a way to work with Republicans in Congress, or the global economy may be at stake