Hot on the heels of the successful Shenzhou
VI mission, the identity of China's first space tourist was
revealed yesterday at a press conference. Eric Anderson, president
of US-based Space Adventures Ltd, confirmed that Jiang Fang will
take off on a sub-orbital space mission in 2007, adding that Jiang
had paid US$100,000 for the trip.
News of China's first space tourist was actually made known in
February. But, few details were available then. Media reports only
mentioned that a man surnamed Jiang, from Shenzhen in south China's
Guangdong
Province, had applied for a space trip and would be China's
first space tourist. Further, Jiang at the time would only say that
he was in his 30s and involved in electronics manufacturing.
"A new hero is created when a space flight is launched,"
Anderson said. "I want to create more private-space-travel heroes
in China."
The company was responsible for sending the world's first three
space tourists into the galaxy: Dennis Tito in 2001, Mark Shuttle
worth in 2002 and Greg Olsen this year. All three were sent to the
International Space Station at a cost of US$20 million each.
Jiang said that he is keen to experience zero gravity in the
one-and-half-hour sub-orbital mission where the craft flies at an
altitude of 100 kilometers. A commercial jet flies at about 12
kilometers while Shenzhou VI flew at altitudes between 200 and 344
kilometers.
"I want to experience weightlessness and explore the wonders of
space," said Jiang, president of Hong Kong Space Travel Ltd, which
is the Chinese agent for Space Adventure.
He explained that he decided to become the agent for the US
company after applying for the trip.
His company offers services ranging from orbital and sub-orbital
flights to space-flight training and other space-related
activities.
The company is even offering a free seat for a sub-orbital
adventure at an unspecified time but Chinese people seem content to
watch the heroes of the country's latest manned mission, Fei
Junlong and Nie Haisheng, on television. Jiang said no one has made
a booking.
(China Daily October 21, 2005)