Inspiration Mars has unveiled plans to send a married couple out to Mars and back in January 2018 as part of a project that experts predict will cost at least $1 billion. Despite a lack of NASA backing, the first space tourist, Dennis Toto, has amassed $100 million in initial funding to get the project underway.
The launch date of 5th January 2018 is timed so that the 501 day trip co-incides with a once-in-a-generation approach of the orbits of Earth and the red planet, and the spacecraft will pass within 100 miles of Mars.
A married couple will be selected for the mission but, despite the costs involved, their living conditions will be far from luxurious. Instead, they will be confined to a 600 cubic foot capsule, have no showers, be limited on toilet paper and clothing, and have to drink water made from crew members’ recycled urine and sweat.
So… who here’s up for it?!
Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Telegraph.
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2 Comments
And I thought our honeymoon was going to be expensive. This is a crazy lot of money! And what’s up with the no showers? I guess this will be the trip that makes and breaks couples. =)
This is a really neat idea but wouldn’t it be several million cheaper to just buy tickets on Virgin Galactic? You still get to go to space, which is essentially the luxury appeal of this. Unless there’s more to it – can you see Mars clearly from there?
If I remember correctly, Virgin Galactic is somewhere in the $200,000 to $1 million range (yes, I think they do have “coach” and “first class” or possibly a variety of options) so personally I would choose Virgin Galactic if I wanted to go to space, even for a honeymoon. All that privacy is useless if you can’t shower…
Any space travel sales professionals that may come across this page are welcome to sell me on the Mars idea, though.
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And I thought our honeymoon was going to be expensive. This is a crazy lot of money! And what’s up with the no showers? I guess this will be the trip that makes and breaks couples. =)
This is a really neat idea but wouldn’t it be several million cheaper to just buy tickets on Virgin Galactic? You still get to go to space, which is essentially the luxury appeal of this. Unless there’s more to it – can you see Mars clearly from there?
If I remember correctly, Virgin Galactic is somewhere in the $200,000 to $1 million range (yes, I think they do have “coach” and “first class” or possibly a variety of options) so personally I would choose Virgin Galactic if I wanted to go to space, even for a honeymoon. All that privacy is useless if you can’t shower…
Any space travel sales professionals that may come across this page are welcome to sell me on the Mars idea, though.