Fancy a stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS)? It is about to get a lot pricier for future private astronaut missions.
NASA last published its commercial pricing policy in 2019, and price tags included $22,500 per person per day for supplies such as food, air and exercise equipment. Life support (and using the toilet) came in at $11,500.
The agency has now said that the policy "did not reflect full reimbursem*nt for the value of NASA resources", it was only there to stimulate the market and was planned to be "adjusted".
In some cases, that adjustment has been to the tune of several million dollars.
While there is no cost for what NASA calls "ISS Baseline Capabilities" (such as life support), pre-staging food and crew provisions using NASA vehicles will come in at anywhere from $88,000 to $164,000 per person per day. The rate for NASA ISS crew time has been set at $130,000 per hour.
The really big ticket items are, however, integration and the base cost of the ISS crew support. The former, which covers NASA integration, comes in at $4.8m per mission. The latter, for supporting visiting vehicles and on-orbit familiarisation for private astronauts, will cost $5.2m per mission.
"Due to the complexity of private astronaut missions and differing mission concepts, reimbursable values for these missions may vary," NASA added.
The update should not affect the first entirely private crew to the ISS, Axiom Space's AX-1. The mission is due for launch in early 2022 aboard a chartered Crew Dragon and consists of an Axiom professional astronaut and three private customers. Subsequent missions will require discussion, and NASA noted that "detailed pricing will be negotiated at time of mission award and contract or agreement finalization."
Exactly how many of these missions might happen is open for debate. NASA expects no more than two short-duration (less than 30 days) missions with private astronauts per year and funding for the ISS is due to run through at least 2024. Axiom Space has claimed its own private space station will be operational by then.
In the meantime, NASA's update is reminder that the cute #DemocratizationofSpace hashtags doing the rounds only really apply to those with a good few million dollars to throw around. ®
As a space exploration enthusiast with a deep understanding of the International Space Station (ISS) and private astronaut missions, it's clear that the landscape of space tourism is evolving rapidly. My knowledge extends beyond the basic facts, delving into the intricacies of NASA's commercial pricing policy and the dynamics of private missions to the ISS.
Firstly, let's address NASA's commercial pricing policy update. NASA's last pricing policy in 2019 set rates at $22,500 per person per day for essential supplies and $11,500 for life support (including using the toilet). The recent adjustment, as per NASA, is to ensure full reimbursem*nt for the value of their resources, moving away from a market-stimulating approach.
The nuances of the updated pricing structure reveal significant cost increments. Pre-staging food and crew provisions using NASA vehicles now ranges from $88,000 to $164,000 per person per day, highlighting the intricate logistics involved. Additionally, the rate for NASA ISS crew time has been set at a substantial $130,000 per hour, reflecting the high value of astronaut time on the ISS.
Two major cost components stand out in this new policy: integration and the base cost of ISS crew support. The former, covering NASA integration, costs $4.8 million per mission. The latter, which encompasses supporting visiting vehicles and on-orbit familiarization for private astronauts, comes in at $5.2 million per mission. NASA acknowledges the variability in reimbursable values due to the complexity and differing concepts of private astronaut missions.
The article mentions the upcoming Axiom Space's AX-1 mission, the first entirely private crew to the ISS. Launching in early 2022, it is exempt from the updated pricing, with subsequent missions subject to negotiation at the time of award and contract finalization. The article also raises questions about the frequency of such missions, with NASA expecting no more than two short-duration private astronaut missions per year, each lasting less than 30 days.
Notably, Axiom Space has ambitions beyond ISS missions, claiming its own private space station will be operational by at least 2024. This aligns with NASA's funding for the ISS, which is scheduled to run through 2024, emphasizing the shifting dynamics in space exploration.
In conclusion, the article underscores the evolving nature of space tourism and the financial realities involved, challenging the notion of space democratization, as indicated by the hashtag #DemocratizationofSpace. While space exploration is becoming more accessible, the costs involved emphasize that, for now, it remains an endeavor for those with significant financial resources.
