Russians invite tourists to fly into space with 250 thousand USD and 3 days of practice

KosmoKurs' re-suborbital spacecraft will be launched from the Russian space airport and will fly Yuri Gagarin's flight altitudes.

Applicants will be able to board the train after purchasing a ticket, carry out a three-day training program and medical examination. In response to Sputnik's interview, Mr. Pavel Pushkin, KosmoKurs CEO, talked about the process of implementing this project.

Mr. Pavel Sergeevich, has the state company Roscosmos approved your project? What stage is the pilot project at? When will the first test flights begin?

- Preliminary design is underway. Unfortunately, due to organizational issues, the plan is delayed 6-8 months. At this stage, we sign subcontracting contracts with some companies. The first parts will be produced no sooner than 2018, only after approving the technical design of the project.

In the summer we will select production facilities. As expected, test flights will begin in 2019-2020.

Test flights will begin in 2019-2020.

The company has announced that each ticket will cost 200-250 thousand USD. Fares still unchanged? Will the company intend to invite celebrities to join the first flight? Will you join the first test flight yourself?

- Fares do not change, we can make changes after completing the pilot project. In 2018, after independent tests, we will open the ticket office.

I have no plans to invite celebrities, but, maybe we will. During the first test flight there will be no visitors, and I can participate in the final stage after the test flights.

He previously said that this project is worth about $ 150 million. Has the price changed? How much money have you mobilized so far?

- This is a preliminary assessment, and the price has not changed. So far we have only mobilized a small portion, and this amount is enough for the first phase. After approving the preliminary design, we will determine the funding needs and the remaining amount will be allocated.

As is known, a private investor has proposed an initiative to create spacecraft for visitors. Investors are foreigners or Russians?

- A Russian citizen invests in the project as a private investor. The work is progressing quite positively. I cannot disclose the amount of investment in the project.

KosmoKurs website announced that candidates will be allowed to join the space flight after completing the three-day training program and undergo medical examination. Will you invite independent doctors to assess the health status of the candidates?

- At the first stage, before signing the contract, the medical team will examine the health factors and determine whether the candidate can fly to space. During the training at the aerospace airport we will hold the final inspection before the flight. Participating in this activity will be experts in space medicine.

The mobile team present at the scene confirmed that it was a 90 cm-diameter spherical object on a hillside. MChS employees warned people not to touch the spacecraft's debris.

If there are contraindications to space flight, it is impossible to force someone to fly up into space. If such cases are noted, the project must be closed. Therefore, we are very interested in how to objectively assess the health status of space travelers.

Do you plan travel insurance while this service is still unusual in the market? Space travelers will sign an agreement to deny insurance for life or injuries in emergency situations (such as in extreme sports, easy to lose life)?

- In the US law, there are rules about such flights: contracts must have a clause about the customer refusing insurance in case of loss of life or health. Naturally, the state receives its certification issue. I think in the future in Russia there will be similar laws.