Well Now I Know What I Would Be Doing If I Won The Lottery...

Well now I know what I would be doing if I won the lottery...

So you want to go to space ?

It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the earth. I put my thumb and covered one eye and my thumb blotted out the planet earth.

- Neil Armstrong

And ergo ‘Space’ became a part of my vocabulary from a very young age. All that i wanted to do was to become an astronaut and wander the oblivion space that lies beyond our wildest comprehension.

But how much is the ticket?!?

I hear if you try to buy it on a Tuesday at 2am you will get a GREAT fare!

Alright all jokes aside space travel is becoming available to regular citizens, well maybe regular isn’t the right word, wealthy citizens.

But just how wealthy do you need to be? How many banks should you plan on robbing before you pack your bags?

Well it depends on where you are going. ;)

Do you want to go on a spaceplane?

This is at about 60 miles above the Earth’s surface.

If Virgin Galactic does continue with SpaceShipTwo they had set their cost at $250,000 or about 6 bank robberies.

(Since the crash of an earlier version of SpaceShipTwo (due to pilot error) they are instead shifting their time and money towards practical launchers. HOW LAME!!)

If XCOR finishes up the Lynx they have set their ticket cost at $100,000 or 3 bank robberies.

But what about a trip to the International Space Station (ISS)?

Well I have good news for you because private citizens have already paid for trips there. No waiting around for a spaceplane to be built.

Space Adventures has put people in space since 2001. They make the travel arrangements for civilians to ride the Russian Soyuz capsule to the space station.

The cost is over $20 million or 435 bank robberies.

How about walking in space?

For an extra $15 million (327 bank robberies) Space Adventures will organize for you to do a spacewalk during your stay on the ISS.

If this all seems a little too pricey for you maybe you should think about the space simulators!!

Zero Gravity Corporation sells tickets on NASA’s “Vomit Comet” (a plane that makes you feel like you are weightless) for $136,000 BUT it is for you and 35 of your closest friends!

Talk about a party!!!

They do offer for you to pay an individual price but that all is on a case by case business. However if you are a struggling student I have some good news for you.

NASA offers undergraduate students the opportunity to conduct experiments on reduced gravity flights. They also have flights for educators too so definitely check out their programs!!

Did you enjoy the post?

If you did, please take a second to follow the author - Marielle ( A Rocket Scientist )

who runs her own website - missaerospace / on twitter and also has her own tumblr. Her posts truly appeal to the space geek in every one of us.

Have a good day!

PC: Dangerouslee Space.com Oleg Kotov Takes a Picture During a Spacewalk by NASA Johnson

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Pluto (bottom Image) With Various Other Non-planets.

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Since everyone has their knickers in a knot over Pluto not being a planet, here are various different celestial objects who are also not classified as planets. You’ll notice, just because it’s not called a “planet” doesn’t mean it isn’t cool.

Let us be reminded, there is no heirarchy of celestial bodies. It wasn’t necessarily “demoted” from planethood, it was simply reclassified as something else. There’s literally no reason to be emotionally attatched to the idea of Pluto’s planetary classifaction.

But what “classifies” a planet anyway?

According to the International Astronomical Union, there are 3 basic requirements that it must meet: 1) It orbits the sun 2) Sufficient mass to assume a “hydrostatic equilibrium” (meaning it’s mostly shaped like a globe) 3) Has “cleared its neighborhood” in its orbit.

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In addition, here is an image showcasing the dwarf planets of the solar system. Pluto isn’t alone in it’s classification.

So don’t be sad over Pluto not being a planet, you’re just being melodramatic. Wipe your tears away with some scientific literacy. ;)

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Now at the age of 13, she had already: Attended Space Camp 7 times, Space Academy 3 times and Robotics Academy 1 time. Became the first person to complete all the NASA Space Camps in the world, including Space Camp Turkey and Space Camp Canada. Witness 3 Space Shuttle launches. Attend Sally Ride Camp at MIT, and three Sally Ride Day camps. Speak several foreign languages: Spanish, French, Chinese and some Turkish. She also delivers motivational speeches to other children.

She is determined to be the first person to land on Mars & NASA is already training her.

(Fact Sources: 1 2) Follow Ultrafacts for more facts

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