NASA is to allow tourists to visit the International Space Station from 2020, priced at $35,000 per night.
NASA said it would open the orbiting station to tourism and other business ventures.
.@Space_Station is open for commercial business! Watch @Astro_Christina talk about the steps we're taking to make our orbiting laboratory accessible to all Americans. pic.twitter.com/xLp2CpMC2x
— NASA (@NASA) June 7, 2019
There will be up to two short private astronaut missions per year, said Robyn Gatens, the deputy director of the ISS.
NASA said that private astronauts would be permitted to travel to the ISS for up to 30 days, travelling on US spacecraft.
NASA said that private commercial entities would be responsible for determining crew composition and ensuring that the private astronauts meet the medical and training requirements for spaceflight.
The two companies hired by NASA are Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which will use its Dragon capsule, and Boeing, which is building a spacecraft called the Starliner.
These companies are likely to charge any private astronaut a similar “taxi fare” to what they intend to charge NASA for its astronauts – close to $60 million per flight.
Via CBS
