Blog – Page 782

After an initial focus on scientific research, including Sierra’s partnership with Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origins on developing a private space station, the Dream Chaser will be involved in commercial operations by hauling cargo and shuttling scientists and researchers to and from space stations.

Both Sierra Space and Radian also have space-tourism aspirations that go beyond much of what’s currently available, including 11-minute flights by Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin, and longer space-balloon flights by companies like Space Perspective and Zephalto that do not reach Low Earth Orbit. “Passengers will be able to go up and stay in orbit,” says Humphrey, whose company has the most developed passenger plans right now. “We can go around the planet in about 95 minutes, so a typical trip will probably be three laps.”

Visits to one or more of the six space stations currently under development lie ahead as well. “We’re calling it purposeful tourism,” says Angie Wise, Sierra’s chief safety officer and SVP of mission and quality assurance. “You’ll get the experience of going to space, but we’ll also put you to work helping with experiments.”

The two astronauts who made Boeing Starliner’s initial crewed flight test in June have now scheduled to return to Earth after their much-awaited return.

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore will be leaving the International Space Station (ISS) days after the landing of SpaceX’s next Crew-10 mission.

Crew-10, which has four astronauts on board, will launch next week and will take the place of the Crew-9 team that is currently on the ISS.