The Spacefleet Project

Space tourism and transport

Dr. Raymond D WrightMD, Spacefleet Ltd.

The Spacefleet Project

• Spacefleet aims to take part in the “space tourism” market

• It is a market that is set to be worth billions of dollars per year

• So far, $20M has been spent by three well-heeled men, taking vacations on the International Space Station.

• There are other developments in progress

What is “space tourism”?

• It is travel and sightseeing in space by paying passengers.

• It can be divided into two sorts – of differing experience and cost: “sub-orbital space tourism” and “orbital space tourism”

• (In the remoter future, lunar travel will be added, no doubt – there are already plans)

Sub-orbital space tourism

• Total flight time ~ 45 minutes – 1 hour

• Stupendous view of the Earth from 100km altitude

• Zero-G of duration ~5 minutes• Seat cost ~$200,000• (Futron Report cites the view of Earth

as the single biggest attraction)

Orbital space tourism

• Total flight time not less than ~ 2.5 hours for a single orbit – probably up to 5 hours for, say, three orbits – unless visiting a space station

• Somewhat higher view of the Earth and zero-G duration not less than 1.5 hours

• Cost per seat ~ $500,000 for sightseeing orbits, rather more for a stay on a space station

The Spacefleet Project

• Space tourism is a reality now• VG has 38,000 prospective customers• VG has $10M in advance fees ($250,000

each)• Futron Report estimated 1000 passengers

in 2008-9• Three people have paid $20M for a trip to

the ISS• Futron assume sub-orbital flight ticket cost

from $100,000 to $250,000

The Spacefleet Project

• The potential market will be at least as big as Futron predict, so there is a market for 1000 flights in 2008-9

• VG will not be able to fulfil the demand

• There are only a few others who will be able to pick up the remainder

• SF could produce a (sub-orbital) craft to fly in 2010

The Spacefleet Project: SF-01

• The SF-01 is a rocket-powered lifting body

• Vertical or ramp take-off• Runway landing• Three passengers, two crew• Flies to >100km• Glides back to land• Est. development cost: ~ £35M

The Spacefleet Project: SF-01

The Spacefleet Project: SF-01

The Spacefleet Project: SF-01

The Spacefleet Project: SF-01

The Spacefleet Project: SF-01

The Spacefleet Project

• Spacefleet Ltd. intends to build a sub-orbital craft, because it is a relatively easy introduction to space flight and the market is assured

• A sub-orbital craft requires ~ 4% of the energy necessary for orbital flight and does not need high-quality thermal shielding

The Spacefleet Project

• If successful with sub-orbital flights, SF intends to continue on to develop an orbital craft of similar overall design – better heat shielding, more powerful engines

• By the time we can achieve that, there will probably be a space hotel, perhaps by Hilton!

The Spacefleet Project

• Beyond orbital flight, there is the Moon for which a new craft, shuttling between Earth orbit and the lunar surface would be designed

• There is no limit to the follow-on projects that could be considered, and the revenues that could result, once a start can be made, with sub-orbital flight

The future…