Latest news with #spaceTravel
The Guardian
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror
Here and Beyond by Hal LaCroix (Bloomsbury, £16.99)The only realistic way human beings could colonise planets beyond our solar system is if they spent their lives travelling and committed their children and grandchildren to the same fate, so their descendants might have a chance to reach another habitable world. Writers who have taken this fictional challenge, including Robert A Heinlein and Brian Aldiss, have assumed civilisational breakdowns would result, with the survivors coming to believe their ship is the only world there ever was. The author of this brilliant, character-driven debut novel has taken a more optimistic view. On Earthworld, success was measured in terms of expansion and exploitation, but on Shipworld, survival depends on preservation, recycling and austerity. During 360 years of travel to planet HD-40307g, the descendants of the original 600 pioneers never lose sight of the distant goal, along the way meeting unexpected challenges, setbacks and tragedies, but also innovations, insights and moments of joy. It's an imaginative journey that's absorbing, thoughtful and deeply humane. One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford (Tor, £22)In a post-zombie pandemic London, Kesta is a scientist working on a project dedicated to finding a vaccine against the virus that turned so many into bloodthirsty monsters. She is especially driven because her husband, Tim, was one of the last people to be infected. But unknown to anyone else, Tim is still alive: tied to a bed in Kesta's flat, drugged into docility while she tries everything she can think of to cure him. There's enough real science behind the theories of how the disease works to make for a fresh and convincing take on the zombie theme, but this debut novel is especially strong as a gripping, sometimes darkly funny depiction of the grotesque lengths to which love might drive someone in refusing to accept an inevitable end. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman, translated by Ros Schwartz (Vintage, £16.99)Originally published in French in 1995, this short, mysterious novel has recently gained a wide and ardent readership, leading to this new edition. Forty women are kept in a cage underground, where the light and temperature never vary, and time is hard to measure. A changing team of three male guards enforce the rules – no talking to the guards, no physical contact between the prisoners – and provide the bare essentials of food, water and clothing. The nameless narrator is the youngest, called 'Child' by the others, and has no memories of life before the cage; the older women remember families, lovers, work and home life but not how or why they were imprisoned. When they finally have the chance to escape, they emerge into a strange, barren landscape. Are they on Earth, after a nuclear holocaust, or transported to another world? They wander, gather supplies and build new homes. Readers expecting answers may be disappointed. There are a few suggestive clues, but the narrator's experiences and reflections are more than enough to make this a strangely haunting and memorable tale. The Reaper by Jackson P Brown (Del Rey, £16.99)Amy is a young Londoner whose empathic powers, inherited through her Jamaican grandmother, enable her not only to feel the emotions of others, but to recognise the auras of beings who come out at night: vampires, werewolves, wraiths, witches and mages. She encounters the 'Grim Reaper' – Gerald, a handsome young man with skeletal, death-dealing hands who works as an assassin for hire. Amy is so tempted by the chance to learn more about the Downers (so-called because their world is 'downstairs' from London) that she agrees to team up with Gerald and use her powers to track down his victims. The logic behind this unlikely empath-assassin partnership is shaky, and while contemporary London is vividly evoked, the Downer world is made up of too many hand-me-downs from other urban fantasies. Yet Gerald and Amy are interestingly complex characters, and with the slow growth of their tentative relationship this is an engaging and promising debut.
Khaleej Times
27-06-2025
- Khaleej Times
How much does it cost to take a trip to outer space?
While billionaires like to launch their own space travel companies (Elon Musk's SpaceX, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic), you don't have to be one to join them. But it helps. The cost of a flight into space varies dramatically depending on what kind of mission you are looking for. 'As a ballpark, you're looking at well over $60 million (Dh220 million) for a private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) or even your own customised orbital stay aboard a private space station,' says Roman Chiporukha, co-founder of SpaceVIP, who works closely with space tourism operators around the world to design customised missions for clients. At SpaceX, prices typically start from around $55 million (Dh202 million), but clients can pay upwards of $65 million (Dh238 million) depending on mission specifics. RocketBreaks, the world's first dedicated space travel agency, works closely with partners such as Axiom Space and SpaceX, providing access to orbital missions aboard Crew Dragon spacecraft. These missions range from free-flying orbital flights to stays aboard the ISS, lasting between eight and 14 days. RocketBreaks handles everything from training and launch preparation to accommodation, private jet charters, and even welcome-home parties. Barry Shanks, director at RocketBreaks, says: 'We also offer access to suborbital missions with Blue Origin (New Shepard), offering a brief but unforgettable taste of space, including several minutes of weightlessness and views from the Kármán line.' These typically cost between $250,000 and $500,000 (Dh 918,122 and Dh1.8 million) per person. The Kármán line is regarded as the 'Space Standard' benchmark for truly being in space and is 100km above sea level. Above 120km is typically needed for a sustained low Earth orbit while anything below this (around 80km to 120km) is considered 'suborbital'. To put it in context, a commercial plane travels at heights of 10-13km above sea level. Blue Origin's New Shepard reusable rocket carried six passengers, including pop star Katy Perry and an all-female crew, to the edge of space in April 2025. Although Blue Origin doesn't advertise fixed ticket prices, deposits of $150,000 (Dh550,873) are required to begin booking. The full price can go up to $4 million (Dh14 million), depending on the flight package and additional luxury touches. The major space travel companies are not always upfront about costs. This is often because pricing is variable, and some companies prefer to vet clients before discussing pricing. 'The truth is, many of these missions aren't just about adventure. Whether it's understanding human biology in zero-G, developing tech for future planetary missions, or even learning how to grow food off-world, there's value here beyond the experience itself,' says Shanks. Edge of space Virgin Galactic is more transparent about its pricing, with seats on its suborbital flights costing around $600,000 (Dh2.2 million) for both civilians and researchers. Suborbital flights don't achieve the necessary speed to complete an orbit, resulting in relatively short trips that last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo (VSS Unity) takes passengers to the edge of space for a few minutes of weightlessness before returning via glider to Spaceport America, New Mexico. The company plans to reopen ticket sales at the start of 2026, but anticipates price increases above the previous $600,000 per seat. One of the more forward-thinking players in the industry, Radian Aerospace, is introducing the Radian One spaceplane. It offers a horizontal takeoff and landing for a low-G orbital mission that makes space travel less intense physically. For $10 million-$15million (Dh36 million-Dh55 million), passengers will orbit Earth five times during a seven-and-a-half-hour journey and be back in time for dinner, which is a big step towards making orbital experiences more elegant and attainable. Cheaper options Space travel experts predict flights will become cheaper as reusable rockets become more refined and launch frequency increases. 'Like any emerging industry, space tourism will eventually benefit from economies of scale. Space tourism will follow a curve similar to that of commercial aviation in its early days,' explains Chiporukha. 'At first, it's prohibitively expensive and exclusive, but as more companies enter the space and infrastructure improves, prices will come down.' Analysts predict suborbital flights, currently priced at $200,000–$600,000 (Dh734,498-Dh2.2 million), could drop to $50,000–$100,000 (Dh183,624-Dh367,249) by the early 2030s as flight frequency increases and economies of scale kick in. A spokesperson for Mighty Travels Premium says: 'Orbital missions, now costing $50 million (Dh183 million) per seat, may also see reductions as companies like Axiom Space and Sierra Space expand operations. While exact timelines are uncertain, significant price drops are expected within the next five–10 years, especially for suborbital trips, making them accessible to a broader affluent market.' Musk has stated that Starship could potentially fly for as little as $2 million (Dh7.3 million) per seat, but this is a long-term goal for a fully reusable system, not the current cost of Crew Dragon flights. Starship has a strong focus on reusability, which is critical for making these missions financially feasible. Regular space travel will likely start with suborbital joyrides before expanding to orbital and lunar trips, driven by demand and technological advancements. Philipp Schaer is the CEO at MiGFlug, which specialises in fighter jet flights and previously took passengers on high-altitude/stratosphere trips to an altitude of up to 25.5km. 'We are rather pessimistic with the tourist space flights such as Virgin Galactic or Blue Origin, unless they come as a side-kick from a commercial operation to launch satellites, do research, etc. If the main thing is bringing tourists into space, we don't think this will ever be profitable, given the huge development costs,' he says. MiGFlug has seen growing interest from clients in the UAE. 'We have had an eye on Dubai for a while now, and we hope to find the right partner there soon.' Travel on a budget There are cheaper options for those who want an out-of-this-world experience on a budget. Rather than rockets, Space Perspective uses a luxury hydrogen balloon to lift passengers in a pressurised gondola to about 32km altitude. The full six‑hour experience costs $125,000 (Dh459,061), including a two‑hour float at the edge of space. Over 1,800 seats have been reserved so far. In late 2025, Danish Michelin-starred chef Rasmus Munk will team up with Space Perspective to take fine-dining into the upper atmosphere. Space Perspective is hoping to have a launch site in Dubai, which will give travellers the chance to see the Burj Khalifa from the edge of space. 'Being able to launch over Palm Island and go up and see the burst wave underneath and see all these recognisable landmarks, this is one of the most beautiful areas we could launch from,' said CEO Michael Savage. Chiporukha, who is a partner in this project, added: 'We now have an office at Dubai Media City and have been consulting with telcos who are expanding to satellites.' While there is no typical client, RocketBreaks' Shanks sheds some light on its space-travel-loving customers. 'We've worked with tech investors, entrepreneurs, adventure-seekers, and families celebrating major milestones. That said, our orbital enquiries tend to come from middle-aged business owners or UHNWIs who have already ticked off many once-in-a-lifetime experiences and are now looking up — literally.'
Bloomberg
28-05-2025
- General
- Bloomberg
Will Elon Musk or Anyone Get People to Mars?
The Asia Trade Former NASA astronaut William McArthur talks about the future of space travel and if Elon Musk or anyone can get humans to Mars. (Source: Bloomberg)
News.com.au
23-05-2025
- News.com.au
The truth about the future of space tourism
What does the future really hold for space tourism? Once a sci-fi fantasy, space travel for civilians is fast becoming reality—at least for the ultra-wealthy.
Gizmodo
19-05-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
26 Unidentified Bacterial Species Detected in NASA Cleanroom
In space travel, it can often be the tiniest things that ruin a big mission. That's why attention to detail is key, particularly inside a cleanroom where spacecraft are put together and prepped for their rigorous journey through the cosmos. But even those meticulously regulated rooms can't keep some microorganisms out. In fact, some bacteria thrive in the stringent environment. A group of scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as well as other institutes in India and Saudi Arabia, discovered 26 previously unknown bacterial species in the cleanroom used to assemble the Phoenix spacecraft ahead of its launch in August 2007. The discovery, recently published in the journal Microbiome, highlights the potential risk posed by highly resilient microorganisms that could contaminate space missions or the planets they visit. For the study, the team of scientists sequenced 215 bacterial strains. Some of these were present before the Phoenix spacecraft arrived at its cleanroom on April 25, 2007, while others formed during the spacecraft's assembly and testing, and after it had been moved to the launchpad to begin its journey to Mars. Out of the 215 strains, the team identified 53 strains belonging to 26 new species. 'Our study aimed to understand the risk of extremophiles being transferred in space missions and to identify which microorganisms might survive the harsh conditions of space,' Alexandre Rosado, a researcher at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), and lead author of the study, said in a statement. 'This effort is pivotal for monitoring the risk of microbial contamination and safeguarding against unintentional colonization of exploring planets.' NASA cleanrooms are harsh environments for life, with carefully controlled temperature, humidity, and airflow to keep out dust and bacteria. The type of microorganisms that can survive in a cleanroom may also be equipped to make it in space. Many of the newly identified microorganisms that were growing in the NASA cleanroom were especially resilient against decontamination and radiation. The hardy bacteria carried a unique genetic defense system with traits like DNA repair, enhanced metabolism, and the ability to detoxify harmful molecules. These little guys are what Destiny's Child was singing about with their hit 'Survivor.' Aside from highlighting the potential impact of these bacteria in space, the new discovery could also have applications on Earth. 'Space travel provides an opportunity to study microorganisms that possess relevant stress-resistance genes,' Junia Schultz, a postdoctoral fellow at KAUST, and first author of the study, said in a statement. 'The genes identified in these newly discovered bacterial species could be engineered for applications in medicine, food preservation, and other industries.' NASA, it would seem, may also need to go back to the drawing board when it comes to its cleanroom design.
