A group of European investors intends to launch the commercial station into space
The first
by Tamara Traubman
A model of a hotel in space designed by another company called "Shimizu"
The road to realizing the idea of space tourism was shortened yesterday by another small step:
A group of European investors announced that it intends to launch the space station
The first commercial. According to the plan, the station will be built in Russia, and will be designed
Especially for hosting space tourists.
The investor is the space corporation "Mir-Corp", which operates with Western financing. in a message
Published yesterday, the head of Mir-Corp, Geoffrey Manber, said that the company had signed
on a deal with the Russian Space Agency and the leading space company in Russia,
"energy". He added that the station will be ready for launch already in the year
.2004
However, the Russian space agency hastened to publish a statement in which it accuses
Mir-Corp is prematurely dispersing far-reaching promises. "The agreement that was signed
Just opens the way for a preliminary inspection," said the agency's announcement. The survey,
The agency added, "It will be carried out by Energy, but nothing beyond that has been signed
In an interview with the BBC, the agency's spokesman, Sergi Gorbanov, added that
"No one can say yet that the station will be built. We will not decide about
Execution options before the end of this year at least." Mir-Corp already
brought up a similar plan in the past, which was also accompanied by the hope of issuing shares.
The plan, which ultimately did not come to fruition, included a cosmetic overhaul
to the Russian space station "Mir", and turning it into a space hotel. Mer-Corp was established
About a year ago in order to raise money to extend Mir's life in space. the company,
which is based in Amsterdam and 60% of which is owned by Energia, was planned
In the past also to produce a TV program in the style of "Survival" that will take place in Mir.
Mir-Corp managed to raise about 30 million dollars, but it was not enough
to hold the fault-free station in space. Finally, in March of this year,
Russia finished the old station's work, dropping it to Mi
Pacific.
But Manbar is not discouraged by past experience. "We developed a business plan,
very pragmatic and feasible," he said, "the chance that it will come true is
Very high." According to him, some potential customers, whose names
He refused to reveal, they had already shown interest in his offer.
According to Manbar, the station will be small in size and will be called Station1" "Mini
It will be built at a cost of only 100 million dollars, and will be able to house three
Cosmonauts at the same time. The station will operate for 15 years. the cost of its establishment
and its operation will be financed by the sale of flight tickets and financing sources
private.
At the beginning of this year, the American millionaire Dennis Tito arrived at the space station
International in a Russian spaceship, for a large fee. the space agency
The American (NASA) then vigorously opposed the unplanned visit of
Tito, who interfered with the cosmonauts accompanying him to carry out their construction tasks
the station.
Manbar recognizes the fact that before he can continue with his plan, he must accept the
Approval of the Russian Space and Energy Agency. He has his plan
presented as a way to help Russia raise funds for the Russian space program,
which is permanently in a budget deficit. "This time it will be completely different,"
Manbar said referring to past failures. "I don't have to worry if
If I fail to obtain budgets by a certain date, something will crash on our heads."
added
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