Russia Will Soon Send Tourist Up In Their ‘Space Yachts’ At A Near Earth Orbit

Russia is developing a “space yacht” that is able to take off from ordinary airfields like an aircraft to send tourists to near-Earth orbit, a chief designer of NPO Aviation and Space Technologies told Sputnik news agency.

A number of private companies are working on the unmanned spacecraft dubbed Selena Space Yacht with the support of the National Technology Initiative’s (NTI) AeroNet and SpaceNet working groups, designer Alexander Begak said in an interview.

“We have an opportunity to land on any airfield, the device lands like an airplane … We now calculate the optimal time for space travel, a comfortable flight path, because experience shows that people do not need to be in zero-gravity condition for as long as 10 minutes,” Begak said.

A total of three “space yachts” will be created, with six passenger seats and one pilot seat each. Despite the fact that the spacecraft will be unmanned, the pilot will still be present for convenience of passengers.

“There will be a pilot inside, but he will not control the spacecraft. This is due to the fact that people should feel comfortable, knowing that there is a pilot on board, and after entering the atmosphere, he will congratulate the passangers on this event”, Begak said.

“We have an opportunity to land on any airfield, the device lands like an airplane… We now calculate the optimal time for space travel, a comfortable flight path, because experience shows that people do not need to be in zero-gravity condition for as long as 10 minutes,” Begak said, adding that the development of the spacecraft began two years ago.

He explained that three “space yachts” will be produced, with six passenger seats and one pilot seat each. Though the spacecraft will be unmanned, a pilot will be present for the convenience of passengers, he said.

The vehicle will enter space at a maximum speed of 2,685 miles per hour to a height of 75 to 87 miles (120-140 kilometers). The cost of the flight will be about $200,000-$300,000 per person, the first flights could start in 5 years, he added.
Earlier, the designer had already built unique devices, which, in particular, were exhibited at MAKS and Army aerospace shows. In just one month last year, Begak created Begalet HYPE, a device capable of flying, travelling by road and by water.