Space Adventures said last week it has entered into a joint venture with Prodea, a private investment firm founded by the Ansari family (the same Ansaris who funded the $10 million X Prize). The company also has partnered with the Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation to develop a fleet of suborbital spaceflight vehicles. The space transportation system, called Explorer, consists of a carrier aircraft, the M-55X, and a rocket spacecraft. It will have the capacity to carry five people into space, Space Adventures said. The company subsequently announced it has entered into agreements to build spaceports in the United Arab Emirates and in Singapore. “The Ansari X Prize inspired and enabled the future of private spaceflights by proving that the necessary technology can be developed commercially,” said Eric Anderson, CEO of Space Adventures. Anousheh Ansari and Anderson agreed in a statement, “Our visions for opening the space frontier are completely aligned. This joint venture will enable millions of people to realize their dreams of spaceflight.”
Space Adventures Teams With Ansaris, Plans Two Spaceports
Key Takeaways:
- Space Adventures has formed a joint venture with Prodea (founded by the Ansari family) and partnered with Russia's Federal Space Agency.
- They are developing the *Explorer* suborbital spaceflight system, consisting of an M-55X carrier aircraft and a rocket spacecraft capable of carrying five people.
- Agreements have been made to build dedicated spaceports for this system in the United Arab Emirates and Singapore.
- Inspired by the Ansari X Prize, this venture aims to make private spaceflight accessible to millions of people.
See a mistake? Contact us.
