Spaced out! A high-tech race could make space tourism more affordable.Hoping to vacation in outer space one day? Once the plot of science-fiction movies, space tourism just took one giant leap closer to reality. In the past, only governments with bulging wallets could send astronauts into space. But last fall, Mike Melvill and Brian Binnie became the first pilots to guide a privately built craft into space. Launched from the belly of a specially designed jet airplane, SpaceShipOne soared to a dizzying height of more than 110 kilometers (68 miles) above the planet's surface. Just minutes after cruising into outer space, the craft touched down again safely in Mojave, California. A series of high-flying journeys earned SpaceShipOne's creators a $10 million award called the Ansari X Prize The Ansari X PRIZE was a space competition in which the X PRIZE Foundation offered a US$10,000,000 prize for the first non-government organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks. . An even bigger reward? Their feat cracked open the door to affordable space travel. SPACE RACE The X Prize was the beginning of a new kind of space race--one that rewards private companies for thinking outside the box to build lower-cost, innovative spacecraft. The latest contest: America's Space Prize America's Space Prize is a US$50 million orbital spaceflight competition established and funded by hotel entrepreneur Robert Bigelow. The prize will be awarded to the first US-based privately-funded team to design and build a reusable manned capsule capable of flying 5 astronauts . The first company to build a craft that can carry five to seven astronauts into two orbits (revolutions) around Earth will nab $50 million. Not to be outdone out·do tr.v. out·did , out·done , out·do·ing, out·does To do more or better than in performance or action. See Synonyms at excel. , even NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. is getting onboard. Their new Centennial Challenges office plans to announce contests that are open to private cosmic contenders. One hopeful in the race to space is the company Interorbital Systems. Interorbital has designed a space capsule called Neptune that will blast off from a platform in the ocean and then soar into orbit around Earth. "It will launch like a missile from a submarine," says Randa Milliron, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. and cofounder co·found tr.v. co·found·ed, co·found·ing, co·founds To establish or found in concert with another or others. co·found of Interorbital. A rocket will boost Neptune 297 km (185 mi) into Earth's atmosphere, or the protective layer of gases surrounding a planetary body (see Nuts & Bolts, p. 15). Once in the thermosphere ther·mo·sphere n. The outermost shell of the atmosphere, between the mesosphere and outer space, where temperatures increase steadily with altitude. ther (outermost out·er·most adj. Most distant from the center or inside; outmost. outermost Adjective furthest from the centre or middle Adj. 1. layer of the atmosphere), the craft will try to maintain a speed of 28,163 km (17,500 mi) per hour--much faster than SpaceShipOne's 4,043 km (2,512 mi) per hour. Why will it have to go so fast? Unlike SpaceShipOne, which dipped into space and then quickly turned Earthbound earth·bound also earth-bound adj. 1. Fastened in or to the soil: earthbound roots. 2. a. , Neptune aims to remain in orbit. To stay aloft, a spacecraft has to play a masterful game of tug-of-war with Earth's gravity, the force that pulls two objects together. If the craft were to zoom around the planet too quickly, it would go reeling into space. But were it to fly too slowly, the pull of Earth's gravity would cause the craft to plow into the planet. TOUGH CHALLENGES If a spacecraft manages to maintain orbit around Earth, the high speeds involved will create daunting daunt tr.v. daunt·ed, daunt·ing, daunts To abate the courage of; discourage. See Synonyms at dismay. [Middle English daunten, from Old French danter, from Latin challenges for the craft during reentry reentry n. taking back possession and going into real property which one owns, particularly when a tenant has failed to pay rent or has abandoned the property, or possession has been restored to the owner by judgment in an unlawful detainer lawsuit. . That's because a homebound home·bound adj. Restricted or confined to home, as of an invalid. spacecraft hurtles down through the layers of Earth's atmosphere. With each passing layer, the craft smashes against more and more gas molecules (particles of two or more atoms, or the smallest units of an element, joined together), until it finally punches through the jam-packed troposphere troposphere: see atmosphere. troposphere Lowest region of the atmosphere, bounded by the Earth below and the stratosphere above, with the upper boundary being about 6–8 mi (10–13 km) above the Earth's surface. , the atmosphere's lowest level. This collision course between the spacecraft and the gas molecules causes friction (resistance to movement when two surfaces rub together), which raises the temperatures around the craft to up to 1,649[degrees]C (3,000[degrees]F). "You come in like a ball of fire," says Milliron. How will a spacecraft survive reentry's barbecue? To succeed, a craft will need a protective heat shield and a special coating to help it withstand the sizzling trip back to the planet. YOUR TURN? Which contenders will be ready to face the heat first? Milliron hopes to launch Neptune's first trained crew in 2006. After that, the craft could carry space tourists. Seventeen-year-old Justin Houchin, who hopes to be the first teen in space, has already made a down payment for a trip. Now he's raising funds for the hefty airfare: $2 to $4 million. With price-slashing predicted for the future, maybe you'll be next. Nuts & Bolts Scientists divide Earth's atmosphere into four main layers: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere mesosphere: see atmosphere. , and thermosphere. They further divide the thermosphere into the ionosphere ionosphere (īŏn`əsfēr), series of concentric ionized layers forming part of the upper atmosphere of the earth from around 30 to 50 mi (50 to 80 km) to 250 to 370 mi (400 to 600 km) where it merges with the magnetosphere, the region and the exosphere exosphere: see atmosphere. . THERMOSPHERE Above 80 km (50 mi) This layer has no definite outer limit. Space is said to start at about 350 km (217 mi). MESOSPHERE 50 to 80 km (30 to 50 mi) Most meteoroids burn up in this layer causing meteor showers. STRATOSPHERE 12 to 50 km (7 to 31 mi) Ozone gases in this layer absorb dangerous sunrays. TROPOSPHERE 0 to 12 km (0 to 7 mi) The layer in which you live contains over 75 percent of all the atmosphere's gases. EXOSPHERE Above 550 km (342 mi) In this outermost layer, gases drift off into space. IONOSPHERE 80 to 550 km (50 to 342 mi) Radio waves bounce off this layer; aurora displays occur here. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BLAST OFF: One day, these reusable spacecraft that take off like planes could replace NASA's aging shuttle fleet. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] COUNTDOWN: Modeled after SpaceShipOne, this Virgin Galactic ship could carry space tourists as soon as 2007. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] GOING UP: SpaceShipOne was towed up over 14 km (9 mi) by the carrier craft White Knight. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DID YOU KNOW? * The Ansari X Prize was not the world's first exploration prize. Exploration, in general, has historically been tied to competitions and awards. One highlight: In 1927, Charles Lindbergh won the $25,000 Orteig Prize for being the first person to fly nonstop between Paris and New York. * A trip to space will be costly. A roundtrip ticket on Virgin Galactic, which may start carrying space tourists in 2007, is expected to cost $190,000. CRITICAL THINKING: * Sending people into space used to be limited to government agencies such as NASA. What are the pros and cons pros and cons Noun, pl the advantages and disadvantages of a situation [Latin pro for + con(tra) against] of private space-travel enterprises? CROSS-CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS: HISTORY: Research and then create a historical time line, highlighting significant events in human space travel. RESOURCES * "Going Private: The Promise and Danger of Space Travel," by Tariq Malik, www.space.com/missionlaunches/ spacetourism_future_040930.html * Learn more about Earth s atmosphere at this http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/space/ atmosphere.html * Read about NASA's centennial challenge at: http://centennialchallenges.nasa.gov DIRECTIONS: Fill in the blanks to complete the following sentences. 1. SpaceShipOne is the first -- spacecraft to launch into space. The craft soared more than -- kilometers above Earth's surface, and -- later, it landed safely in Mojave, California. 2. To orbit around Earth, Neptune's rocket fuel will need to boost the craft 297 -- into Earth's atmosphere. Once in the --, or the -- layer of the atmosphere, the capsule will need to maintain a fast speed of about 28,163 km (17,500 mi) per --. 3. Neptune needs to maintain a quick orbiting speed because it needs to fight Earth's --. If the craft zooms slower, this pulling -- would cause the spacecraft to plow into Earth. 4. The --, or the lowest level of Earth's atmosphere, is packed with -- --. -- (resistance to movement when two surfaces rub together) between gases in this layer and a re-entering spacecraft causes temperatures around the craft to spike to 1,649[degrees]C (3,000[degrees]F). To survive the re-entry RE-ENTRY, estates. The resuming or retaking possession of land which the party lately had. 2. Ground rent deeds and leases frequently contain a clause authorizing the landlord to reenter on the non-payment of rent, or the breach of some covenant, when the , a spacecraft needs protective devices such as a special coating and a -- --. 1. private; 110, minutes 2. kilometers; thermosphere, outermost; hour 3. gravity; force 4. troposphere, gas molecules; friction; heat shield |
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