[Brett66]

Interesting proposal,hopefully lunar tourism is closer than we think.

[Brett66]

Ping.

[SSN558]

The Russians are leading the way again. Deja Vu Sputnik.

Ok history buffs. what nation took the first paying space tourist up for a ride on a rocket ?

[RadioAstronomer]

I sure hope so! Remember the story about the industrialist who wanted to die on the moon instead of the earth. Great short story. :-). I too would not mind breathing my last there.

[Nachum]

Man, would I love to take a trip into space.

[lds23]

"Take me 'round the world one more time, James"....

[Aracelis]

Placemarker

[Tourist Guy]

Damnit I forgot my camera.

[RightWhale]

Technology is one thing. The price of a ticket is another. Soyuz to orbit and back is still $20 million. What is a lunar swingby going to cost?

[Jay W]

The flight profile of L-3 was basically similar to Apollo, requiring the development of a large, heavy booster, the N-1, which was the equivalent of the Saturn V. The N-1 failed all its unpiloted flight tests and was cancelled in 1974.

Equivalent of the Saturn V? I thought the N-1 generated around 10 million pounds of thrust from its 30 engines in its first stage, compared to the 7.6 million pounds of thrust from the Saturn V's first stage. In theory they could lift heavier payloads into space.

On the other hand, all N-1 tests resulted in either the rocket's blowing up of their own accord, or being blown up by the launch engineers due to various failures of the N-1 rocket (for starters, the dubious wisdom of having thirty engines in the first stage).

[Mr. K]

you know what? using 35 year old technology combined with current processing power and miniaturization, I bet some enterpanuer here in the US could create a private company taking people to the moon for $25 mil easy...