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My $599 weekend in space
Financial Times ^ | 20 June 2019 | Neville Hawcock

Posted on 06/21/2019 4:17:36 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT

Space is like any other destination: you either pay to go there or you get paid to go there. You’re either a passenger or a pilot. But though it’s only 100km away, neither option is easy.

Being a passenger requires a lot of money. This month, Nasa announced it would allow “private astronaut missions” to the International Space Station, for which it will charge $35,000 a night; getting there, in a capsule operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, will cost about $52m. Even the briefer excursions offered by Virgin Galactic — six minutes of weightlessness more than 50 miles above the ground — will set you back about $250,000.

In short, you need the Right Stuff, of one kind or another. That’s a significant obstacle for the average mid-life space enthusiast

Thankfully, there is a kind-of third option: you can pretend to go to space. That is where Adult Space Academy, in Huntsville, Alabama, comes in. For $599

This did not deter my 30 or so fellow Adult Space Campers, who had flown in from across the US, from Michigan, California, Florida and elsewhere. Ages ranged from twenties to sixties; the ratio of men to women was about two to one; careers — I learnt as we chatted at mealtimes — skewed towards engineering and technology.

Despite having a cooling ice pack across my shoulders, I was sweating by the end, and glad to revert to my day clothes. I was gladder still to retreat to my bunk later on. Even pretend space travel is hard work.

(Excerpt) Read more at ft.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: nasa
All that and more!

But you can get a very good deal everything included trip to the Dominican Republic for much less!!!

1 posted on 06/21/2019 4:17:36 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT
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To: DUMBGRUNT

The Paywall in Dominican Republic is harsher than FT...


2 posted on 06/21/2019 4:23:59 PM PDT by Vendome (I've Gotta Be Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB0ndRzaz2o)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

I hear the drinks are better at Space Camp though.


3 posted on 06/21/2019 4:24:22 PM PDT by OldNewYork (Operation Wetback II, now with computers)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

Get the VR stuff working so I can enjoy the good bits only and stay home.

A long ago co-irker had a big infatuation with Space Camp. He decided he’d go see the place during a two week shutdown.

That two weeks was during Christmas. He drove several states to find it was closed.

He got a security guard to show him a little. He drove home. No BB gun needed. Besides he would have been to cheap to buy one. Spending money on hotels, clean clothes, and soap was out of the question too.


4 posted on 06/21/2019 4:25:17 PM PDT by wally_bert (Disc jockeys are as intwerchangeable as spark plugs.)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

Me, I just want take a ride in a hyperbaric chamber with a fat chick at this time in my life. No, not Lena Dunham fat, lol.


5 posted on 06/21/2019 4:33:32 PM PDT by OftheOhio (never could dance but always could kata - Romeo company)
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To: wally_bert

co-irker, lol. I worked with plenty of them in my life. They all got special handles.


6 posted on 06/21/2019 4:39:20 PM PDT by OftheOhio (never could dance but always could kata - Romeo company)
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To: Vendome

When posted, I did NOT encounter a paywall?
Now click the link and BANG a wall!!!

BUT, going to google news, no paywall.

Still, might be the same price on a cheap trip to the D.R.


7 posted on 06/21/2019 5:17:26 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT ("The enemy has overrun us. We are blowing up everything. Vive la France!"Dien Bien Phu last message.)
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To: OldNewYork
I hear the drinks are better at Space Camp though.

Yes, better than D.R. drinks.

Orientation over — use common sense; don’t be dumb; no booze — and branded T-shirts donned, we were split into two groups, Team Pioneer and Team Mariner, named respectively after a Jupiter and a Mars probe.

8 posted on 06/21/2019 5:21:37 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT ("The enemy has overrun us. We are blowing up everything. Vive la France!"Dien Bien Phu last message.)
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To: wally_bert

co-irker

Does that imply that the two you were part of an anti-management group?

Like Dilbert and Wally?


9 posted on 06/21/2019 5:25:35 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT ("The enemy has overrun us. We are blowing up everything. Vive la France!"Dien Bien Phu last message.)
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To: DUMBGRUNT
But you can get a very good deal everything included trip to the Dominican Republic for much less!!!

Casket included, or just cremation?

10 posted on 06/21/2019 5:31:26 PM PDT by Robert DeLong
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To: Robert DeLong

But you can get a very good deal everything included trip to the Dominican Republic for much less!!!
Casket included, or just cremation?

The local burial at sea an option is used to keep the deluxe vacation to the beautiful island of Hispaniola affordable.

NB: Your unused return ticket becomes the property of Deluxe DR Vacations Inc.


11 posted on 06/21/2019 5:41:37 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT ("The enemy has overrun us. We are blowing up everything. Vive la France!"Dien Bien Phu last message.)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

I hear the juice-boxes there are out of this world though.


12 posted on 06/21/2019 6:01:29 PM PDT by OldNewYork (Operation Wetback II, now with computers)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

Sign me up then. 8>)


13 posted on 06/21/2019 7:00:37 PM PDT by Robert DeLong
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To: OldNewYork

But the resorts in the DR have killer minibars.

CC


14 posted on 06/21/2019 7:55:05 PM PDT by Celtic Conservative (My cats are more amusing than 200 channels worth of TV)
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To: Celtic Conservative

Too soon, too soon.

The DR needs rebranding, but so far, Spanish Haiti, the most popular proposal, is not doing it for them.


15 posted on 06/21/2019 8:25:57 PM PDT by OldNewYork (Operation Wetback II, now with computers)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

“it’s only 100km away”


16 posted on 06/21/2019 8:29:43 PM PDT by mrsmith (Dumb sluts: Lifeblood of the Media, Backbone of the Democrat/RINO Party!)
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To: mrsmith

“it’s only 100km away”

It’s a bit more than 62 miles but close enough for most reporters.
62 miles, a quarter million miles and it moves in and out!

And most do not believe humans ever landed there anyway...


17 posted on 06/21/2019 8:40:27 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT ("The enemy has overrun us. We are blowing up everything. Vive la France!"Dien Bien Phu last message.)
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To: OldNewYork

How about “west of the real haiti”?

CC


18 posted on 06/21/2019 8:49:19 PM PDT by Celtic Conservative (My cats are more amusing than 200 channels worth of TV)
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To: Celtic Conservative

East Haiti? Haiti de l’Este?


19 posted on 06/22/2019 8:13:42 AM PDT by OldNewYork (Operation Wetback II, now with computers)
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