NASA to initiate discussions about commercial uses for the International Space Station

BORED of Capri and tired of St Tropez? Why not try a holiday on the International Space Station? It could become a reality if NASA gets its way.

The ultimate getaway ... the International Space Station. Picture: NASA/Paolo Nespoli

IT’S the ultimate getaway destination, with views that are literally out of this world.

For the world-weary tourist, the International Space Station (ISS) offers a unique holiday destination — and rights to unlimited bragging afterwards.

NASA originally baulked at opening up the ISS for space tourists, but to date has accommodated seven. The first was American Dennis Tito in 2001 and the most recent was Canadian Guy Laliberte in 2011.

Now NASA is seeking proposals on how the ISS could be used for future commercial activities.

“NASA is soliciting ideas from companies interested in using the space station and the low-Earth orbit environment in innovative ways that will develop a strong commercial market and assist the agency in achieving its exploration goals,” read a statement from the organisation issued today.

In the first instance, it is likely that the first commercial uses of the ISS would be in the research arena.

“Now is an exciting time for space research and developing exploration capabilities,” said William Gerstenmaier, NASA’s associate administrator for Human Exploration and Operations. “After 10 years of continuous habitation in low-Earth orbit, we know microgravity provides data unattainable on Earth. We are already seeing benefits in pharmaceuticals, medical robotics and materials sciences.”

NASA was seeking proposals, Mr Gerstenmeoir said, to help identify “how to open this one-of-a-kind orbital laboratory to the private sector in better and more practical ways — ultimately, helping to pave the way for private microgravity research facilities of the future.”

The International Space Station has been continuously occupied since November 2000. In that time it has been a temporary home to more than 200 people, comprising astronauts or cosmonauts from the USA, Russia, Canada, Japan, Sweden, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, South Africa, South Korea and Malaysia.