SpaceX Plans To Send Two Space Tourists Around The Moon Next Year; Test Flights To Begin This Year
The latest plans of SpaceX are out, and the space technology firm is looking to fly two space tourists around the Moon late 2018. The CEO of SpaceX, Elon Musk, has confirmed that the tourists have already paid a significant amount of the travel charges. He further pointed out that it is the opportunity for man to move to deep space after 45 years.
Musk also said that the mission is getting support from NASA to make the plan possible. The spaceship which is designed for the journey of two unnamed space tourists will take test flights from the end of this year. He did not reveal the identity of the travelers but confirmed that both of them know each other and they are not from Hollywood. "We are planning to conduct fitness and health tests for both the passengers by the end of this year and will start giving training," Musk said.
Fly me to the moon ... Okhttps://t.co/6QT8m5SHwn
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 27, 2017
Musk further confirmed that the spaceship would do the first mission without passengers and then the second journey would take the people into space. "The travelers are well aware of the risks associated with the journey," He said. "We try to minimize the risks as much as possible, but it won't be zero considering the complexity of space journeys." As per the plan the spaceship will fly around the moon and skim the surface, but not planned to make a landing.
Musk further said that if NASA wanted to be part of the plan, they would be given the priority. It is not confirmed whether NASA would be part of the project as it did not access the moon since its Apollo mission in 1972. Incidentally, SpaceX has confirmed that there are more people in the list and the journey would continue even after 2018 trip. Earlier, Virgin Atlantic also came with a similar plan to send to space for $250,000 per person. The plan has got a major setback after the crash of its space vehicle in 2014.
