Last year NASA celebrated the 50th anniversary of the iconic Apollo 11 mission which marked a giant leap for mankind. Now, five decades hence, the space agency is gearing up for another adventure in the low-earth orbit.
The government agency has collaborated with Houston, Texas-based start-up Axiom Space to develop a module that will be home to private space explorers wanting to spend quality time in the outer bounds of planet earth.
Opening opportunities for commercial space travel as Axiom Space bags the contract
NASA sees huge potential and therefore kept its future prospects open by considering space travel for people who are fascinated by the idea of exploring possibilities beyond this habitable land.
Since, it’s going to be an enormous industry as projected by the experts, NASA craves to be a pioneer in this dimension of space exploration too.
NASA started accepting bids from private industry last year under the agency’s Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) 2 Broad Agency Announcement.
This opportunity offered a private player chance to develop a space pod by the year 2024 which will attach to the Node 2 docking port of the ISS.
According to speculations, for starters a 10-day trip to the space station will cost upwards of $35,000.
Design personified by luxury and jaw dropping views
To give the space pod a luxurious home-like feel, NASA and Axiom have commissioned 71-year-old Philippe Stark, French-born designer acclaimed for his unique designs including world-class hotels, avant-garde watches and lavish yachts.
Stark said, “Our goal was not to create a copy of life on earth but to create the best environment for human beings in this infinite territory.”
He envisions a comfortable egg-shaped module fitted on the inside with handrails for easy navigation, padded walls for protection from accidental bumps, nano LED lights to create the desired ambiance, and embedded touchscreens and high-speed Wi-Fi. Its panoramic windows will put forth an unprecedented view of Earth.
Preparing Astronauts and Private Citizens for the Space Odyssey
Before the launch of this module into outer space with people on board, Houston-based space research company is going to train them for their ultimate journey at its facilities. This will be important as zero gravity takes a toll on the body and one needs to be ready for the adventure beforehand.
Perks aside, difficulties of living in a space module are undeniable. Even though Axiom module will have all that promise a comfortable stay on board, the challenges of living in space cannot be ignored. Zero gravity makes the most basic tasks difficult, which will be even more challenging for first time space travelers.