Space Adventures Offers Ecliptic's RocketCam for Private Spaceflights

SPACE TRAVEL

RocketCam cockpit view in White Knight.

Arlington, VA April 26, 2005
Space Adventures announced Tuesday an agreement with Ecliptic Enterprises to utilize the company's flagship imaging system, RocketCam, as a flight option for orbital and suborbital spaceflight clients.

For the first time, private space explorers can document nearly every phase of their mission. RocketCam's unique features will be able to return live video and images from both the launch vehicle interior and stunning exterior while rocketing through the Earth's atmosphere and into orbit.

This capability not only enhances the client's overall experience, it also provides better situational awareness for the spacecraft pilot and Earth-based mission controllers.

"Space Adventures is always striving to improve the overall spaceflight experience for both our clients and their families," said Eric Anderson, president and CEO of Space Adventures.

"RocketCam imagery will provide us with a powerful real-time analysis tool, that coupled with our existing corporate partner, Analytical Graphics's STK software, will allow for access to the rarely seen spectacular events of spaceflight."

Rex Ridenoure, president and CEO of Ecliptic, echoed Mr. Anderson's statement adding, "We are pleased to team with Space Adventures to strengthen our presence in the ever-growing space tourism market.

"Space Adventures' commitment to opening the space frontier fits well with our strategic vision and we are excited about the prospects for collaboration."

Out of a competitive field of spaceflight imaging firms, Space Adventures selected Ecliptic to provide superior quality imagery for its clients.

"RocketCam produced the real-time footage of the historic flights aboard SpaceShipOne. Unparalleled external and internal footage of the world's first private spacecraft to cross the 100 km boundary of space altitude captivated audiences worldwide," said Mr. Anderson.

"The Ecliptic real-time video data system met our specifications and allowed us to meet our goals," said Burt Rutan, founder of Scaled Composites and legendary designer of SpaceShipOne.

Space Adventures' orbital spaceflights launch aboard Russian Soyuz TMA spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Private space explorers spend an average of 10 days orbiting the Earth aboard the International Space Station.

Space Adventures has already sent two private citizens to space, American businessman Dennis Tito in 2001 and the "First African in Space" Mark Shuttleworth in 2002.

Space Adventures' suborbital program will consist of a four-day training period and a 90-minute spaceflight.

As each vehicle reaches their maximum altitude, the rocket engines will shutdown and the passengers will experience up to five minutes of continuous weightlessness.

SPACE TRAVEL

Space Race 2: The X Prize Revisited

Cape Canaveral FL (UPI) Apr 20, 2005
From the folks who organized the competition that led to the world's first private human spaceflight now comes the X Prize Cup, planned to be an annual showcase of commercial space ventures, with a debut exhibition slated for October.

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