Latest Space tourism Stories

Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online 2012 has been an historical year in the space industry, and the beauty of this past year is it is just paving the way for the best that is yet to come. During the past year, we have seen NASA encounter the Red Planet with their latest piece of technology, and have seen great strides made by the commercial space industry. Last year, we ended the year on a bit of a sour note, but with hopeful dreams the United States would soon be...

Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo today undertook its 23rd glide flight in the pre-powered portion of its incremental test flight program. This was a significant flight as it was the first with rocket motor components installed, including tanks. It was also the first flight with thermal protection applied to the spaceship’s leading edges. It followed an equally successful test flight last Friday which saw SpaceShipTwo fly in this configuration, but remain mated to its WhiteKnightTwo...

Brett Smith for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online As private companies, like Virgin Galactic, race to send travelers into space, the medical community must begin to address the hazards of both an actual trip into orbit and the ramifications upon return for the average person. With these unprecedented situations looming just over the horizon for medical professionals, a group of Canadian and U.S. scientists have published a paper on the subject in the Christmas edition of the...

ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- I/ITSEC, Booth #2401 -- Quantum3D, Inc., a leading provider of visual computing solutions for government and commercial applications, today announced Virgin Galactic, the world's first commercial spaceline, has ordered Quantum3D's six-channel Independence(®) IDX 7000 image generator. Virgin Galactic will use Quantum3D's most advanced real-time image generator to train pilots on spaceship equipment and command. "Our first priority in...

MOJAVE, Calif. and ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- XCOR Aerospace announced today that it has issued the initial phase of a two-phase contract to ATK's Aerospace Structures Division (NYSE: ATK) for the detailed design and manufacture of the Lynx Mark I suborbital reusable launch vehicle (RLV) wings and control surfaces. This announcement represents a critical milestone in the march toward assembly, test and entry into commercial service of the Lynx. (Photo:...

DAYTON, Ohio, Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Lieutenant Colonel Steve Heck (USAF-ret.) is being honored by the State of Ohio for his work with Citizens in Space, a non-profit project that promotes citizen science and citizen space exploration. Lt. Col. Heck is one of 15 veterans who will be inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame today by Governor John Kasich in a ceremony at the National Museum of the US Air Force here in Dayton. "It's a great honor to be among this select...

HOUSTON, Oct. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Colonel Rick Searfoss (USAF-ret.) will address teachers at the Space Exploration Educators Conference, which takes place at Space Center Houston on February 7-9, 2013. Colonel Searfoss will speak during a session on "Citizen Science and Citizen Space Exploration" presented by Citizens in Space. As a NASA Shuttle pilot and commander, Colonel Searfoss flew into space three times. As chief test pilot for the Lynx reusable spacecraft, now under...

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has received funding from NASA to build a miniature, portable solar observatory for developing and testing innovative instrumentation in suborbital flight. The SwRI Solar Instrument Pointing Platform (SSIPP) will fly on new, commercial manned suborbital craft, such as XCOR's Lynx spacecraft, to enable spaceborne science and instrument development at a fraction of the cost of unmanned sounding rockets. SSIPP is a self-contained unit that is bolted in...

Lawrence LeBlond for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online One of Britain’s most beloved sopranos, Sarah Brightman, is making plans to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2013. Brightman, who is best known for her roles in the British productions of Cats and Phantom of the Opera in the 80s, told a news conference in Moscow on Wednesday that she will join an elite list of tourists who have actually visited the orbiting space lab. Not only will her journey be one of just eight...

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Citizens in Space, a project of the United States Rocket Academy, has been invited to present at the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union, to be held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco on December 3-7. "We are pleased for the opportunity to discuss potential collaboration between professional and citizen scientists before such a distinguished audience," said United States Rocket Academy president Edward Wright. The United...