Space Adventures to Develop Integrated Spaceport in Singapore

ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 21, 2006/Satnews Daily/ — Space Adventures, Ltd., together with a Singapore-based consortium, have announced their plans to develop an integrated spaceport in Singapore that will offer suborbital spaceflights, as well as operate astronaut training facilities and a public education and interactive visitor center.

Space Adventures said the focal point of the proposed Spaceport Singapore will be suborbital spaceflights. As each suborbital vehicle reaches its maximum altitude of 100 kilometers, passengers will experience up to five minutes of continuous weightlessness, all the while gazing at the blackness of space set against the horizon of Earth.

“Singapore, with its superior geographical and economic infrastructure, is primed to be the hub of a new, revolutionary form of travel – in space,” said Eric Anderson, president and CEO of Space Adventures, the only company to have so far sent private citizens to space.

He said countries around the world are only just realizing the enormous commercial possibilities of space tourism adding the market potential for suborbital spaceflights alone is estimated at $1 billion annually. “We are excited at the prospect of launching an integrated facility here in Singapore that will give the world a whole new perspective to space tourism,” said Anderson.

Spaceport Singapore, in addition to providing suborbital spaceflights, will offer a wide range of space and high-altitude experiences for those who wish to experience various aspects of astronaut training. These include parabolic flights that will allow passengers to experience the thrill of weightlessness, G-force training in a centrifuge, and simulated space walks in a neutral buoyancy tank. Visitors can fly in a variety of jet aircraft, enjoy the exhilarating flight simulators and interactive exhibit experiences, or simply learn about the history and technology of space travel.

The suborbital space transportation system has been designed by Myasishchev Design Bureau, a leading Russian aerospace organization which has developed a wide-array of high performance aircraft and space systems. Explorer, as it has been named, will have the capacity to transport up to five people to space and is designed to optimize the customer experience of space travel, while maintaining the highest degree of safety. The system consists of a flight-operational carrier aircraft, the M-55X, and a rocket spacecraft.

“Explorer design plans have been perfected over the years and it will be a truly remarkable system. Last week, we announced our fully-funded vehicle development joint venture with Prodea, a private investment firm founded by the Ansari family. Now, the manufacturing process can be completed to build a fleet of these vehicles in the near future,” said Anderson.

The estimated cost of Spaceport Singapore is minimum $115 million and will be partially funded by the private sector, Singapore sources, together with Space Adventures' global spaceport development partner, His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. KPMG Corporate Finance in Singapore has also begun to raise the final funds needed.