Space Science & Low Earth Orbit Travel Plans

In my latest?assignment?as a technology journalist for Ziff Davis PCMag I took a look at the International Space Station.?

At 357 feet end-to-end, the ISS is a football field-sized orbital microgravity, solar-powered research laboratory, training facility, and observatory, traveling at 17,500mph, 250 miles above us as it orbits the Earth every 90 minutes.

I've been privileged to interview several astronauts who've worked on the ISS, including?Nicole Stott, who told me about her?27-year career at NASA, spending 104 days in space and performing a six-hour and 39-minute spacewalk, then returning to Earth on Space Shuttle Discovery’s final descent. I also went to NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration to meet the?Astrobee robots?which have clocked in 750 hours to date onboard, carrying out experiments, supporting the multinational flight crew and assisting in two-way comms with mission control.?As that trip was to NASA Ames, I also got to have (a free) lunch one light-rail stop down the track 谷歌 , which made it even more of a memorable occasion.

In times of current conflict, the ISS is a remarkable example of international co-operation, with 16 countries involved since its inception. under the cooperation of five space agencies—CSA (Canada),?ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), Roscosmos (Russia), and NASA (United States).?That said, Russia is?leaving the ISS?at some point this decade, and China is currently?building a space station?of its own

All good things come to an end. So what's next?

Well, although not a short read,?NASA’s transition plan details?how the station will be developed for commercial use in the future, with “steps being taken to develop both the supply and demand side of the low-Earth orbit commercial economy, and the technical steps and budget required for transition.”?For those of us who long to be space tourists the transition report confirms that NASA has signed agreements with Blue Origin , Nanoracks LLC , and Northrop Grumman to develop commercial destinations in space.??

How long before we book a ticket to travel into Low Earth Orbit?