Media: RSC “Energia” has already found eight tourists to fly to the moon – RIA Novosti

02:05 19.08.2016

(updated: 07:21 19.08.2016 )

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MOSCOW, August 19 -. RIA Novosti Eight people agreed to go to space travel to the moon aboard a modernized spacecraft series “The Union”, told the newspaper “Izvestia” CEO of rocket and space Corporation “Energia” Vladimir Solntsev.

The company space Adventures, sending space tourists to the space station, start looking for clients to fly around the Moon as early as 2010, the newspaper notes.

“We have a preliminary design for the modernization of the spacecraft” Soyuz “, which was initially created from the perspectives of the organization lunar mission. Upgraded” Union “can realize a short flight to the Moon, which allows to fly around the Earth satellite. Potentially we consider eight real candidates, willing to pay for such an expedition, “- the newspaper quoted Solntseva

he said that director James Cameron was one of the first to become interested in the opportunity to fly to the moon.. In addition, among the potential tourists have family in Japan. “Energy” will be able to deploy a “large-scale work,” as only dial “critical mass” of confirmed orders, said Corporation CEO.

As the “Izvestia” close to the Space Adventures company (SA) source, the price of space travel to the Moon has been reduced from 150 to 120 million dollars.

“interest in the project is, people are willing to pay money for a unique experience. SA informs potential customers that the first flight around the Moon with tourists can take place until 2020. Flying in near space and into orbit will soon become more or less a mass product, but a journey to the moon, it circled, remains a dream “, -. results in the publication the words of the interlocutor

. in his opinion, the travel to the moon not have a huge potential:. five to seven expeditions will fully meet the existing demand

The head of the Russian representation of Space Adventures Sergey Kostenko confirmed “News” that the interest of potential tourists on the flight around the Moon there.

“I can not talk about specific customers, their number, but such a program there is a demand. This project can be implemented in the future five to seven years, although the decisive role here is not ours, and “Energy”. All technical work on their part, “- he said

RSC.” Energia “- the umbrella organization for manned space systems in the Russian Corporation is working to create unmanned space and missile systems (launch vehicles and inter-orbit transportation), high-tech systems of different. destination for use in non-space fields.

commercial Aviation Organisation into space since 2001 engaged in “Roskosmos” and the company space Adventures, which provides marketing services. Preparation of tourists is held at Star City near Moscow. While the sole purpose of space tourism is the Russian segment of the International space station.