UAE bookings for space trip open: $100,000 a seat on Lynx Mark II

The UAE in general, and Dubai in particular, is one of the world’s biggest travel hubs.

So, a travel agency officially opening bookings for an out-of-this-world holiday– for anybody who meets the health specifications – is only natural; even if the trip on offer is anything but.

The engine starts running, but instead of vertically, you move horizontally.

At a speed of 4,000kmph you travel to an altitude of 103km.

The engine switches off. You have become weightless. You are now officially in space.

At $100,000 (Dh367,000) a head, tickets are now available in the UAE. Return ticket, i.e.

Only one person will be permitted in the space ship per trip and this person will share the cockpit with the pilot.

Local travel agent Alchemy Tourism and Travel and the Netherlands-based Space Expedition Corporation (SXC) this week jointly launched their Space Tourism Programme in the GCC.

The flights are scheduled to take off by end of 2014.

Currently, there are two stations from where the SXC will take off; one in Mohavy, USA and one in Curacao, in the Caribbean.

Although Mohavy is a common departure place for space travel, Curacao is a destination selected by SXC for its suitable circumstances.

The space shuttle will take off four times per day.

There are several travel packages available with possible accommodation at the take-off location and transportation arrangements.

Crossing all barriers

Crossing the 100km barrier promises entry to space, explains Michiel Mol, co-founder of SXC.

"It is internationally agreed that crossing the 100km barrier means that you are officially in space.

“Anybody who has crossed 100km is officially an astronaut," he says.

Only 560 people in the world have been there so far, but with 250 tickets already sold, this is soon to change.
"This is not just for those with a high-net income. There are people who have saved for years to be able to do this.

“If you ask people if they would like to go to space, in 50 per cent of the cases they answer with yes," said Michiel.

Lynx Mark II

The space shuttle –named Lynx Mark II - will reach space in four minutes.

For the next five-six minutes, its passengers will experience weightlessness.

During this time, the space shuttle will turn upside down, offering the spectacular view of earth.

"This is a life-changing experience. You feel vulnerable while you find yourself in the thin layer around earth," Michiel describes.

His description is based on the conversations he has had with astronauts, who have all been there.
"Surprisingly astronauts are very enthusiastic about space tourism. They want everybody to experience what they have experienced. "

Apart from the costs, there is little that can stand in the way of the common man to go where, until now, not many have gone.

Health and training

Travelers must be above the age of 18, not taller than 2 meters and preferably not weighing more than 125kg.

Apart from pregnancy or heart disease, there are no medical conditions that would complicate the trip.
A mandatory training is included in the ticket price, explaining the basic procedures.

For an optimised space travel experience, SXC offers three recommended one-day training programmes, discussing unearthly concepts such as weightlessness and G-force.

"When the shuttle returns to earth the body weight becomes four times as much as the original body weight, which is a feeling we are not used to.

“During the training participants are prepared for this feeling so they can fully enjoy the trip," explained Michiel.

The future

In the future, more stations might be opened in other parts of the world, not leaving out the UAE as an option.
A bit further ahead in the future space travel might exceed the leisure purpose, Michiel expects, revealing that plans are in the making for space transportation. "We want to be able to reach any place in the world within 2 hours," he says.

A leap into the future also promises of a space hotel, trips to Mars and possibly drive-your-own space ships.
"Space travel is the future and this century is certainly that of a colonisation of space. Humans want to explore, and I think this is a good thing," Michiel concludes.

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