Space Adventures Announces Results Of Suborbital Client Survey

The survey was conducted exclusively with individuals who have paid at least a $10,000 (USD) deposit for the flight that will ultimately cost $102,000 (USD). Results from the survey that was administered on June 15 -17, 2004 include:

Q) Would you be willing to fly on SpaceShipOne if a seat were made available on the first flight?
* 69% I’d be on the first flight
* 19% Not the first flight, but one soon after
* 12% I’d like to see a few more flights first

Q) What is the biggest reason that you have decided to take a suborbital flight?
* 46% To see Earth from space
* 18% Uniqueness of experience
* 17% Want to participate in space exploration
* 12% Want to be part of an exclusive club
* 7% Want to experience weightlessness

Q) Do you want the suborbital spaceship in which you fly to be of a similar design to SpaceShipOne?
* 72% Yes, it’s a great design
* 12% No, I’d prefer to fly in rocket that takes off vertically
* 9% No, it needs more room inside
* 7% Undecided

Q) How many suborbital flights do you plan on taking?
* 51% At least one more (after the first flight)
* 19% Ask me after the first one
* 16% Several more
* 14% Only one

Q) Where would you prefer to have the suborbital spaceport located?
* 53% Doesn’t matter, just want to fly
* 24% U.S.A.
* 12% Europe
* 5% Asia

"Suborbital spaceflight for me would be a dream come true," said Per Wimmer, future suborbital spaceflight client, United Kingdom. "It would be the ultimate adventure, to not only be one of the first suborbital spaceflight passengers, but to also be apart of opening the space frontier to commercial travel. What was once a far-fetched vision is now becoming a reality!"

Adventures is the marketing and experiences operation partner for several of the leading space vehicle manufacturing companies and is the only company currently accepting deposits from suborbital clients, currently totaling over $2,000,000 (USD). Thus, making Space Adventures the world’s first "Spaceline" operator.

Space Adventures' suborbital program will consist of a detailed four-day flight preparation and training experience. The highly focused and inspiring pre-flight agenda will familiarize each passenger with the flight program, critical vehicle systems, flight operations, zero gravity conditions, in-flight accelerations and space flight safety procedures.

On launch day, flight specialists will assist the passengers in suiting up and guiding each through the final checklist. Each flight will be directed by both a skilled-pilot and a precise computer controlled system.

As each vehicle reaches their maximum altitude, the rocket engines will shutdown and the passengers will experience up to five minutes of continuous weightlessness, all the while gazing at the vast blackness of space set against the blue horizon of the Earth below.