SPACE TOURISM... EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED ALWAYS....THE EXPERIENCE OF THE FEW DAYS JOURNEY THAT TURNS INTO 9 MONTHS JOURNEY BACK TO THE EARTH.BY AMB. RASAKI OLIYIDE ( MITPN, MNIM, MTRCN )




Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are back on Earth after spending nine ( 9) unplanned months in the international space station (ISS). 





The two astronauts waved and smiled as they emerged from the SpaceX Dragon, which splashed down off the coast of Florida. 


The two astronauts fondly called Suni and Barry left Earth in June 2024 for an eight-day mission to test Boeing Starliner's capsule. 



But the capsule suffered technical issues, so NASA (  National Aeronautics and Space Administration ) decided to keep them on the ISS and return the Starliner to Earth empty. 


It was a fast and jubilation re-entry through the Earth's atmosphere for the Space X capsule after 9 months in the outer space revolving the Earth.... Truly Space Tourism.

        INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION 

"Truly the future is very near for the interested, physically, medically fit and financially viable person's living on Earth would embark on the space journey,  taking tour of the outer space in weeks, days and return back safely to the Earth, the Future of Safe Ride Space Tourism is Very Near "says Amb.Rasaki OLIYIDE (MITPN, MNIM, MTRCN) the Founder of Excursion Media Concept and Elim Educational Agency Limited. 


However, they didn't travel on a Boeing rocket for their return journey. 

Instead, they rode back on a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, named Freedom, which splashed down off the coast of Florida on March 19, 2025. 

Wilmore and Williams were initially launched to the ISS on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, but their mission was extended due to technical issues with the Starliner. 


They were joined by NASA astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov for the return journey on the SpaceX Crew Dragon. 


It's worth noting that Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is still in development, and its crewed flight test was delayed due to various technical issues. 

SpaceX's Crew Dragon, on the other hand, has been successfully operating crewed missions to the ISS since 2020. 



The Boeing Starliner is a Reusable Space Craft. 

The Boeing Starliner is a reusable crew spacecraft developed by Boeing Defense, Space & Security, a division of Boeing.

 It's designed to carry astronauts to and from low-Earth orbit (LEO) destinations, such as the International Space Station (ISS).

*Key Features of Boeing Starliner:*

1. *Crew Capacity:* 7 passengers (astronauts)

2. *Launch Vehicle:* Atlas V rocket (initially), with plans to transition to Vulcan Centaur

3. *Reusability:* Designed for 10+ missions

4. *Propulsion:* Combination of liquid-fueled engines and thrusters

5. *Communication:* Advanced communication systems for real-time communication with ground teams

*Development and Testing:*

1. *Contract Award:* Boeing was awarded a $4.2 billion contract by NASA in 2014 for the development of the Starliner. 

2. *Uncrewed Flight Test:* Successfully completed an uncrewed flight test (OFT-1) in December 2019

3. *Crewed Flight Test:* Scheduled for 2025, pending resolution of technical issues

*Challenges and Delays:*

1. *Technical Issues:* Experienced parachute deployment issues, software glitches, and valve problems during testing

2. *Schedule Delays:* Initial crewed flight test delayed from 2020 to 2025. 

3. *Cost Overruns:* Boeing took a $410 million charge in 2020 due to Starliner development delays and cost overruns

*Future Plans:*

1. *Operational Missions:* Boeing aims to conduct regular crewed missions to the ISS. 

2. *Commercial Services:* Plans to offer commercial crew services to private space stations and other destinations. 

3. *Expansion:* Potential for expansion to other NASA programs, such as lunar missions.

 These private organizations below involved in space rocket design and voyage:

1. *Blue Origin*
- Founded: 2000
- Founder: Jeff Bezos
- Focus: Suborbital and orbital spaceflight, lunar exploration
- Notable projects: New Shepard, New Glenn

2. *Virgin Galactic*
- Founded: 2004
- Founder: Richard Branson
- Focus: Suborbital space tourism
- Notable projects: SpaceShipTwo, WhiteKnightTwo

3. *Rocket Lab*
- Founded: 2006
- Founder: Peter Beck
- Focus: Small satellite launch services
- Notable projects: Electron rocket, Photon satellite platform

4. *United Launch Alliance (ULA)*
- Founded: 2006
- Founders: Boeing, Lockheed Martin
- Focus: Launch services for government and commercial customers
- Notable projects: Atlas V, Delta IV, Vulcan rocket

5. *Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC)*
- Founded: 1963
- Founder: Fatih Ozmen
- Focus: Space systems, aircraft, and defense technologies
- Notable projects: Dream Chaser spaceplane, Orbital ATK Cygnus

6. *Astra Space*
- Founded: 2016
- Founders: Chris Kemp, Adam London
- Focus: Small satellite launch services
- Notable projects: Rocket 3.0, Astra Space Platform

7. *Relativity Space*
- Founded: 2015
- Founders: Tim Ellis, Jordan Noone
- Focus: 3D-printed rockets, small satellite launch services
- Notable projects: Terran 1 rocket, Terran R reusable rocket

8. *Firefly Aerospace*
- Founded: 2013
- Founder: Max Polyakov
- Focus: Small satellite launch services
- Notable projects: Firefly Alpha rocket, Firefly Beta rocket

9. *Masten Space Systems*
- Founded: 2004
- Founder: Dave Masten
- Focus: Reusable suborbital launch systems
- Notable projects: Xombie, XL-1

10. *Stratolaunch Systems*
- Founded: 2011
- Founder: Paul Allen
- Focus: Air-launch-to-orbit systems
- Notable projects: Stratolaunch carrier aircraft, Pegasus XL rocket


EXCURSION AFRICA MAGAZINE, 
PUBLISHED BY ELIM EDUCATIONAL AGENCY LTD. 


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