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This is the Specialized Vessel That Will Launch Photo Tourism Space Pods
Space Perspective, the company that wants to bring photo tourism to the edge of space, has debuted the MS Voyager, a ship that it calls the world’s first marine spaceport for human space flight.
The company says that the MS Voyager is an “industry-changing breakthrough” that allows is a key part in Space Perspective’s ability to quickly scale globally, as the company claims that the ship allows it to “break geographic and climate barriers” that hold other companies back. With the MS Voyager, Space Perspective anticipates expanding space travel to the global market.
The large vessel allows Space Perspective to take its launch platform wherever its customers are closest and gives the company the flexibility to launch its Space Tourism from anywhere.
“Space Perspective will change your relationship with our planet by providing the quintessential astronaut experience of viewing Earth from the blackness of space,” Jane Poynter, Space Perspective’s Founder and Co-CEO, says.
“It’s imperative for us to think about our business with a global mindset. Removing geographic borders for launch and landing accelerates our mission of making this transformative experience more accessible to the world and international marketplace – safely, reliably and with minimal impact on our planet.”
MS Voyager was acquired from Edison Chouest Offshore, what Space Perspective calls one of the world’s premier shipbuilders. MS Voyager’s marine operations will be supported by Guice Offshore.
“The 292-foot-long vessel, which will call Port Canaveral its home, is now being outfitted for launch, retrieval, and SpaceBalloon operations at Conrad Shipyard — preparations for which were provided by Gulf Ship. In keeping with Space Perspective’s environmentally conscious ethos, offsets will be provided by Cool Effects, and the vessel itself is being retrofitted to use biofuel to reduce its carbon footprint,” the company says.
“We always imagined offering the opportunity to view the most incredible natural phenomena from space, including the Northern Lights, the boot of Italy, the sheer scale of the Nile Delta, and the deep blue seas around the Bahamas. Marine Spaceports like MS Voyager make this a reality,” Poynter adds.
Space Photo Tourism
Space Perspective announced its plans to bring tourists into space this past April and provided a closer look at the pods in July. The company initially described a process where the pod would gently float back down to Earth after a visit to the edge of space where it would land in the ocean and be retrieved by a ship. The reveal of MS Voyager now shows that the company intends to operate its business entirely on the water, inclusive of both takeoff and landing.
The company previously said it plans to start offering its flights in late 2024 and has already sold 600 tickets, fully booking the first year of flights. Space Perspective is taking reservations for flights in 2025 and beyond, and tickets start at $125,000 per person.
https://petapixel.com/2022/11/15/this-is-the-specialized-vessel-that-will-launch-photo-tourism-space-pods/
https://twitter.com/SpacePerspectiv/status/1592486077243457537
https://youtu.be/ManciGxfISs
https://spaceperspective.com/
X-37B orbital test vehicle concludes sixth successful mission
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle-6 (OTV-6), the U.S. Space Force’s unmanned, reusable spaceplane, successfully deorbited and landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility on Nov. 12, 2022, at 05:22 a.m.
OTV-6 was the first mission to introduce a service module-a ring attached to the rear of the vehicle expanding the number of experiments that can be hosted during a mission. “This mission highlights the Space Force's focus on collaboration in space exploration and expanding low-cost access to space for our partners, within and outside of the Department of the Air Force (DAF),” said Gen. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations.
The service module successfully separated from the OTV before landing, which is a necessary activity due to the aerodynamic forces experienced by the X-37B vehicle upon re-entry. In the coming weeks, the service module will be disposed of in accordance with best practices. Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said, “The deliberate manner in which we conduct onÂorbit operations-to include the service module disposal-speaks to the United States' commitment to safe and responsible space practices, particularly as the issue of growing orbital debris threatens to impact global space operations.”
The OTV-6 mission hosted the Naval Research Laboratory's Photovoltaic Radiofrequency Antenna Module. This experiment successfully harnessed solar rays outside of Earth's atmosphere and aimed to transmit power to the ground in the form of radio frequency microwave energy. Additionally, the U.S. Air Force Academy's FalconSat-8, developed in partnership with Air Force Research Laboratory, was successfully deployed in October 2021. FalconSat-8 remains in orbit, providing Academy cadets unique hands-on experience as space operators prior to entering active duty.
Multiple NASA experiments were deployed on OTV-6. The Materials Exposure and Technology Innovation in Space (METIS-2) included thermal control coatings, printed electronic materials, and candidate radiation shielding materials. METIS-1-which flew on OTV-5-consisted of similar sample plates mounted on the flight vehicle. NASA scientists will leverage data collected after the materials have spent 900+ days in orbit and compare observed effects to ground simulations, validating and improving the precision of space environment models.
Another NASA experiment aims to investigate the effect of long-duration space exposure on seeds. Scientists are interested in the seeds’ resistance and susceptibility to space environment-unique stresses, notably radiation. The seeds experiment will inform space crop production for future interplanetary missions and the establishment of permanently inhabited bases in space.
“The X-37B continues to push the boundaries of experimentation, enabled by an elite government and industry team behind the scenes,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Fritschen, DAF Rapid Capabilities Office’s X-37B Program Director. “The ability to conduct on-orbit experiments and bring them home safely for in-depth analysis on the ground has proven valuable for the Department of the Air Force and scientific community. The addition of the service module on OTV-6 allowed us to host more experiments than ever before.”
The sixth mission conducted on-orbit experiments for 908 days.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article/3217077/x-37b-orbital-test-vehicle-concludes-sixth-successful-mission/