Higher voyages come with higher price tags. If you want to pass the Kármán line (a boundary 62 miles (100 km) from the earth, which is typically considered where space ‘starts’), you can ride a rocket with Bue Origin. The 11-minute journey is said to cost more than US$1 million (NZ$1.57 million).
One can only imagine the price four American civilians paid to take a 3-day orbit around earth on a SpaceX Dragon capsule. For a shorter trip, astronauts can catch a SpaceX rocket to the International Space Station laboratory for $US55 thanks to Axiom Space.
For many travellers, a long-haul flight to Europe or the US seems far enough but according to a former NASA astronaut, space “ought to be on everybody’s bucket list”.
Now the vice president for Axiom Space, Michael López-Alegría said it may not be an achievable bucket list item just yet, but it would be.
“We’d be the first to admit that it’s not quite democratic yet, because it’s still pretty expensive, but we’ll get there, he said.
So, how does one begin to pack or prepare for a visit to this otherworldly destination?
Preparing for takeoff
Fortunately, you don’t have to be athlete-level fit to journey to space but you will need to set aside a decent chunk of time for training.
If Axiom Spaces’ crew training is anything to go by, you could spend at least 700 hours learning necessary skills. During this time, crew members practice dealing with fires, docking transport vehicles and running experiments, all while rapidly spinning around on a centrifuge, which mimics the feeling of space travel.
It also pays to prepare mentally and emotionally for seeing the earth from above, which has been known to prompt significant emotional responses from people, in what has been coined ‘the overview effect’.
Set up a social media OOO
You may go where few people have gone before, but you won’t have the Instagram pictures to prove it, as astronauts cannot take their phones with them. Don’t worry, you can still post a selfie later; the International Space Station has cameras to use during the visit.
Get suited up
Every destination requires a particular kind of clothing, dpeending on the climate or customs. Space is no different.
Passengers on Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin flights are decked out like jet pilots, with comfortable jumpsuits and boots. However, for the proper space fitout, you’ll need to take a ride with SpaceX, who provide pressurised white spacesuits and black visor helmets, just like in the movies.
Learn to pack lightly
Leave your camera, water bottle any other travel essentials behind. Yes, even your ID or passport can stay in a drawer at home. According to López-Alegría, all you need is yourself.
“When we walk onto the vehicle, we’re wearing our spacesuits and pretty much nothing else,” he said. However, passengers are allowed to bring the odd memento with them. Astronauts have been known to pack ukuleles, photographs and even a single sock belonging to a family member.
Scrub up before flying
Food isn’t the only area that is compromised for galactic adventures. You’ll also have to get comfortable with the smell of yourself, as there are no laundry machines or showers on board. When necessary, astronauts use packers of soap and water and dry shampoo, while the lack of sinks means toothpaste has to be swallowed after brushing.
Embrace plane food
Obviously, shorter flights don’t have time for a meal in space but those taking longer trips can try one of around 200 meals offered on the International Space Station. Granted, most of them are thermostabilized or freeze-dried and involve unusual substitutes to deal with the conditions. Bread is swapped out for tortillas to stop crumbs, while fizzy drinks are banned as the lack of gravity means astronauts cannot burp out excess bubbles in their digestive system.
