Singapore picked as launch pad for space trips
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Singapore picked as launch pad for space trips
Feb 16, 2006, 2:44 GMT
Singapore - Singapore has been picked as the site of an integrated port which will offer space flights as well as astronaut training, The Straits Times reported on Thursday.
Space Adventures, the US-based company behind the voyages of the world's first three space tourists, selected the city-state ahead of several US states, Australia, Japan, Malaysia and Dubai.
When ready, the space port will be used to stage commercial sub-orbital flights in which the space vehicle exits the Earth's atmosphere at about 100 kilometres above ground.
Passengers can expect to pay about 102,000 US dollars for about five minutes of weightlessness, a view of the curvature of the Earth and the darkness of space.
The company told the newspaper it will train travellers at the astronaut training centre.
Space Adventures was set up in 1998. The company was behind the voyages of the first three space tourists: American Dennis Tito in 2001, South African Mark Shuttleworth in 2002, and American Greg Olsen in October.
They paid 20 million U.S. dollars each for one-week stays on the International Space Station.
© 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur -
Yeah.
Singapore is the place the rich come to play and the poor continue to pay taxes.
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Space Tourists Go to Singapore, and Beyond
By Justin Huggler Asia Correspondent
Astronauts may be about to become an everyday sight in Singapore. The American company that arranged for multimillionaire tourists to hitch a ride into space on Russian rockets is planning to turn the island state into the world's main centre for space tourism.
The Space Adventures company wants to set up its own launch pad and astronaut training centre on the island. It appears that the plans are part of a scheme that could bring the price of space flight within the reach of more people.
A spokeswoman for Space Adventures, Stacey Tearne, yesterday confirmed a report in Singapore's Straits Times that the company is planning to set up a launch pad and training centre, but refused to give any further details.
But the plans may be connected to a new service the company is advertising on its website. Space Adventures currently charges $20m (pounds 11.5m) per passenger to arrange a ride into orbit on a Russian spacecraft. But it says the new service will be a comparative snip at $102,000 (pounds 59,000) a head.
The reason it's so much cheaper is because the service will use a new type of spacecraft currently in development that can fly 60 miles above the Earth's surface - high enough to leave the atmosphere and see the classic view of Earth from space - but cannot go fast enough to reach orbit.
The price for the new flights will include four days of intensive training-rather less demanding than the 180 days of training space tourists have been required to undergo before blasting off on a Russian spacecraft.
Space Adventures arranged the journeys of the world's first three space tourists, Dennis Tito and Greg Olsen from the US and Mark Shuttleworth from South Africa.
Source: Independent, The; London (UK) -
U need alot of land for a launch area, the launch pad, assembly building, launch control centre.
Furthermore soyuz rockets are pretty old and may be accident prone. I don't think the idea will ever be implemented.
Maybe sentosa? they tear down carlsberg skytower
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I would consider an offshore site for launch, possibly along a waterway that is less congested.
However, a SeaLaunch type of platform could be constructed.
Equatorial launches save on propellent because a geostationary orbital path is more easily attainable than a polar orbit. -
Now this gets stranger...
Space Adventures Announces $265 Million Global Spaceport Development Project
Space Adventures Press Releases:
February 17, 2006
Space Adventures, Ltd., the world's leading space experiences company, announced today its plans to develop a commercial spaceport in Ras Al-Khaimah (the UAE), with plans to expand globally. Other potential spaceport locations include Asia, specifically Singapore, and North America.
The total estimated cost of the global spaceport development project is at least $265 million (USD) and will be funded by various parties, along with shared investments by Space Adventures and the government of Ras Al-Khaimah. The company, which organized orbital flights for all of the world's private space explorers, also announces that His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi of Ras Al-Khaimah, along with the UAE Department of Civilian Aviation, have granted clearance to operate suborbital spaceflights in their air space.... read more here http://www.spaceadventures.com/media/releases/2006-02/347
A spaceport in both Dubai and Singapore?
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Been following this thread, and after serious consideration about the environmental and economic impact the launch would have in tiny singapore, i feel that this might not work out here.
First of all, the launch facility will have to be built on an offshore island or man-made platform off the coast. This will further narrow the already narrow straits of singapore.
Secondly, hours before each launch, changi airport might be closed (economic impact) since the rocket would require a large area of airspace for safety reasons.
And furthurmore ships passing through the straits of singapore, a vital shipping lane might have to stay several nautical miles away from the launch area.
Environmental impact would of course be the marine life and our remaining coral reefs offshore. Greenpeace won't like that
Pedra branca anyone -
Been thinking too, I suppose unless it's a airlaunched craft, like Space Ship One, it might be quite impactful on the limited space we have.Originally posted by donchoo:Been following this thread, and after serious consideration about the environmental and economic impact the launch would have in tiny singapore, i feel that this might not work out here.
First of all, the launch facility will have to be built on an offshore island or man-made platform off the coast. This will further narrow the already narrow straits of singapore.
Secondly, hours before each launch, changi airport might be closed (economic impact) since the rocket would require a large area of airspace for safety reasons.
And furthurmore ships passing through the straits of singapore, a vital shipping lane might have to stay several nautical miles away from the launch area.
Environmental impact would of course be the marine life and our remaining coral reefs offshore. Greenpeace won't like that
Pedra branca anyone
Then again, do you need that much space for a spaceport?
Tekong will do.
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Those space flights are not the like space shuttle type of launch. but more of a small craft attached to a bigger plane. The bigger plane will just take off from changi airport normal runway. Then when they fly over south china sea, at a high attiude then release that smaller craft which will start its rocket.Originally posted by donchoo:Been following this thread, and after serious consideration about the environmental and economic impact the launch would have in tiny singapore, i feel that this might not work out here.
First of all, the launch facility will have to be built on an offshore island or man-made platform off the coast. This will further narrow the already narrow straits of singapore.
Secondly, hours before each launch, changi airport might be closed (economic impact) since the rocket would require a large area of airspace for safety reasons.
And furthurmore ships passing through the straits of singapore, a vital shipping lane might have to stay several nautical miles away from the launch area.
Environmental impact would of course be the marine life and our remaining coral reefs offshore. Greenpeace won't like that
Pedra branca anyone
This will bring the small craft to the atmosphere, which is they so call space travel .... then it will land back at the airport like a plane.
You just build so call training center to simulate the weightless - and earn the tourist more money - in so call training package . -
Any idea who is the local partner for this project?
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there is no space for such a thing bah....... imagine all that dust, fog and stuff from the launch...
local partner, if any, will most likely ST Aerospace or STE.
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dont speculate leh, i want to buy share lah...Originally posted by ^tamago^:there is no space for such a thing bah....... imagine all that dust, fog and stuff from the launch...
local partner, if any, will most likely ST Aerospace or STE. -
I wonder how will mahathir react?
they paid people $1.8 billion to get a single astronaut to space...
people pay and invest $200 million to get our people in space -
Everybody will react by putting a gala pole into your smelly a-r-se holeOriginally posted by SMAPLionHeart:I wonder how will mahathir react?
they paid people $1.8 billion to get a single astronaut to space...
people pay and invest $200 million to get our people in space -
hahaha.. wtfOriginally posted by SMAPLionHeart:I wonder how will mahathir react?
they paid people $1.8 billion to get a single astronaut to space...
people pay and invest $200 million to get our people in space -
Suborbital space and orbital space is different.Please get your facts right.Originally posted by SMAPLionHeart:I wonder how will mahathir react?
they paid people $1.8 billion to get a single astronaut to space...
people pay and invest $200 million to get our people in space -
This is part of the USD900million deal to buy 18 Sukhoi Su-30 MKM fighter jets.Originally posted by LazerLordz:Suborbital space and orbital space is different.Please get your facts right. -
one more thing in singapore for the ordinary singaporeans to be unable to afford
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You can try the ZERO-G experience just to get a feel of how weightlessness is all about.Originally posted by the Bear:one more thing in singapore for the ordinary singaporeans to be unable to afford -
Buy some planes, get a free ticket to spaceOriginally posted by Gazelle:This is part of the USD900million deal to buy 18 Sukhoi Su-30 MKM fighter jets. -
SPACE TRAVEL
Space Adventures To Build Spaceport In Singapore
by Staff Writers
Arlington VA (SPX) Feb 21, 2006
Space Adventures Ltd. said Monday it plans to develop an integrated spaceport in Singapore that will offer sub-orbital spaceflights and operate astronaut training facilities and a public education and interactive visitor center.
"Singapore is one of the best-connected countries in the world. It is home to one of the world's busiest air and sea ports. Singapore, with its superior geographical and economic infrastructure, is primed to be the hub of a new, revolutionary form of travel - in space," said Eric Anderson, president and chief executive officer of Space Adventures.
The company, which arranged orbital flights for U.S. businessman Dennis Tito in April 2001, and South African Internet tycoon Mark Shuttleworth in April 2002 - both via Russian spacecraft to the International Space Station - said the focal point of Spaceport Singapore will be sub-orbital spaceflights. As the companyÂ’s Explorer spacecraft reaches its maximum altitude of 100 kilometers (64 miles), its maximum of five passengers will experience up to five minutes of continuous weightlessness.
"Countries around the world are only just realizing the enormous commercial possibilities of space tourism,” Anderson said. “The market potential for sub-orbital spaceflights alone is estimated at $1 billion annually.”
The company said it has been working with the Singapore Tourism Board for the past three years, to facilitate technical discussions with other agencies required for the project and to handle negotiations over possible land sites.
"Space Adventures and the consortium have given Singapore a big vote of confidence as a choice tourism investment location,” said Lim Neo Chian, deputy chairman and chief executive of the Singapore Tourism Board. “Pending the finalization of funds that are expected in the near future, we are optimistic that Spaceport Singapore will quickly become a reality."
In its statement announcing the venture, Space Adventures said it plans to offer parabolic flights to allow passengers to experience weightlessness, G-force training in a centrifuge, and simulated space walks in a neutral buoyancy tank, in addition to the sub-orbital flights. Visitors to Spaceport Singapore also would be able to fly aboard a variety of jet aircraft.
"We identified Singapore as an ideal location for a spaceport, as it has the right combination of foresight, entrepreneurialism and technological sophistication to support a project such as this," said Michael Lyon, managing director of the project. "We have met with the relevant agencies, including the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, to begin the process of obtaining the necessary approvals.”
Myasishchev Design Bureau, the Russian aerospace organization, designed the Explorer, and its lifting body, called the M-55X.
Spaceport Singapore will cost an estimated minimum of $115 million, to be funded by a consortium of Singapore investors, and by Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, the Crown Prince of Ras Al-Khaimah, who last week announced he had partnered with Space Adventures on a spaceport in his country, part of the United Arab Emirates. KPMG Corporate Finance in Singapore also has begun to raise funds for the project.
The consortium includes Octtane Pte, Batey Pte Ltd., Lyon Capital Inc., DP Architects, ST Medical and KPMG Corporate Finance, along with Space Adventures.