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posted by martyb on Tuesday February 28 2017, @06:57AM   Printer-friendly
from the to-the-moon-and-back dept.

Two paying customers will travel to the "deep space" beyond the Moon. SpaceX will use the Falcon Heavy to deliver an automated Crew Dragon capsule carrying the unnamed customers next year. Falcon Heavy has not flown yet, and is expected to be tested this summer. NASA will use the Crew Dragon capsule to send astronauts to the International Space Station in 2018, after an unmanned test this year.

SpaceX will not reveal the identities of the participants until they complete health and fitness tests:

We are excited to announce that SpaceX has been approached to fly two private citizens on a trip around the moon late next year. They have already paid a significant deposit to do a moon mission. Like the Apollo astronauts before them, these individuals will travel into space carrying the hopes and dreams of all humankind, driven by the universal human spirit of exploration. We expect to conduct health and fitness tests, as well as begin initial training later this year. Other flight teams have also expressed strong interest and we expect more to follow. Additional information will be released about the flight teams, contingent upon their approval and confirmation of the health and fitness test results.


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  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by CoolHand on Tuesday February 28 2017, @01:05PM (9 children)

    by CoolHand (438) on Tuesday February 28 2017, @01:05PM (#472759) Journal
    There are some funny comments on this story already. But seriously, this is a giant step toward fulfilling many of our childhood dreams. I grew up during the "space age" and reading science fiction where it was commonplace for everyone in society by the year 2000 to be flying on rocket ships. I thought I'd be flying around the moon on a regular basis by the time I was thirty years old. Alas, that did not come to fruition. However, with this first step, maybe it could happen for my grandchildren (assuming we don't all kill ourselves via environment or war first). I wish SpaceX well, along with their passengers (unless maybe they are some of the ones mentioned in previous comments, then it might be worth postponing the dream).
    --
    Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job-Douglas Adams
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 28 2017, @05:53PM (8 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 28 2017, @05:53PM (#472907)

    But seriously, this is a giant step toward fulfilling many of our childhood dreams.

    But seriously, how many _people_ has SpaceX actually sent to space (just space and not Moon)? Half the nation calls bullshit, and SpaceX doubles up on their claims? How will they do it, with even more fistpumps, high-fives, bluetooth headsets and CGI? You delude yourself: the only "giant step" here is towards keeping you asleep, and dreaming.

    • (Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Tuesday February 28 2017, @08:33PM (3 children)

      by GreatAuntAnesthesia (3275) on Tuesday February 28 2017, @08:33PM (#473020) Journal

      Half the nation calls bullshit, and SpaceX doubles up on their claims? How will they do it, with even more fistpumps, high-fives, bluetooth headsets and CGI?

      Well, I'm going out on a bit of a limb here, but my guess is that they will do it using the FUCKING ENORMOUS SPACE ROCKETS they have been busy designing, building, testing, improving and generally dicking about with for the last decade or so.

      ust because they haven't put anyone into space yet doesn't mean they never will. They've succeeded in pretty much everything else they've attempted so far[1], there's no reason not to give them the benefit of the doubt here too.

      [1] With a few spectacular explosions along the way, but nobody ever said rocket science was easy

      • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 01 2017, @11:02AM (2 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 01 2017, @11:02AM (#473260)

        they will do it using the FUCKING ENORMOUS SPACE ROCKETS

        Oh yeah! FUCK*N Enormous GIANT ROCKETS!!!111!!

        Fistpump, highfives, fanboy-ism and CGI. Thank you for proving the point of the original AC post. Notice that you never actually see anything going to space, they all "switch to" CGI because "it is too far for the camera (in 2017, sure). All verified from who else, NASA. Well said man.

        There is no "benefit of doubt" here. Those people are scam artists, and are poisoning science's well with their crap. They need to get the f*ck out pronto.

        • (Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Wednesday March 01 2017, @03:47PM (1 child)

          by GreatAuntAnesthesia (3275) on Wednesday March 01 2017, @03:47PM (#473343) Journal

          Let me guess, the moon landings were faked too, right?

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 01 2017, @05:29PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 01 2017, @05:29PM (#473405)

            the moon landings were faked too, right?

            Gee, [youtube.com]I don't know, [aulis.com] what do you think? [youtube.com]

            If thinking is too much right now, assume that "Sure they went. They just look like their DOG DIED in the debriefing interview for [enter_excuse_here], and not because they just fucking LIED to everybody" and see how well this jives with you.

    • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday February 28 2017, @10:00PM (3 children)

      by bob_super (1357) on Tuesday February 28 2017, @10:00PM (#473067)

      Why not? Professional astronauts are expensive.
      A whole bunch of people are ready to die young on a one-way trip to Mars.
      SpaceX needs to prove their system is ready.
      Put both together:
      "Hey! We've got to try this new capsule eventually. Should I order space-grade crash dummies?"
      "Wait, we can get people to pay for that privilege, get better data, and more publicity! If they make it, they make history and we save a lot of testing. If they don't, they an be the first non-Russians to die in space, maybe the first to die away from LEO. Should be easy to find people. Win-win"

      > the only "giant step" here is towards keeping you asleep, and dreaming.

      Not as negative as you'd like it to sound.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 28 2017, @11:04PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 28 2017, @11:04PM (#473100)

        My thought too. Why send a chimp or a dog when you can send a couple of people stupid to actually PAY to be the dummies.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 28 2017, @11:07PM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 28 2017, @11:07PM (#473103)

        I wonder how far they set back private manned spaceflight if they don't come back alive?

        • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday February 28 2017, @11:41PM

          by bob_super (1357) on Tuesday February 28 2017, @11:41PM (#473119)

          Depends a lot on whether they do come back dead.

          And also on how many pieces they are in, wherever they end up.