Around 30 years ago, only engineers and astronomy experts could have imagined traveling to space. However, everything changed after the first space tourist in the world, American businessperson Dennis Tito, traveled to space on 28 April 2001. Today, hundreds of individuals have booked flights to space and others are waiting for an opportunity to arise.
People who have traveled to space describe the experience of huge gravitational forces when leaving the earth and the weightlessness after reaching space as awesome. But did you know that preparation is important for space flights? Here are the preparations everyone needs for orbital flights.
But First, What is an Orbital Flight?
Before you start preparing for your space tour, you have to understand what is an orbital flight. An orbital flight, also known as an orbital spaceflight, is a form of spaceflight in which the space vehicle completes at last one orbit in space. To do that around the earth, the space vehicle has to be on a free trajectory with an attitude above 80 kilometers.
The speed is usually slow when a space vehicle attains higher orbits. However, reaching such great heights requires a very high delta-v. Now you might ask, what is delta-V? Delta V is the impulse measurement or unit of the space vehicle’s mass needed to perform maneuvers in space.
When it comes to suborbital flights, space vehicles have to climb up and enter outer space. But unlike what is expected with orbital vehicles, they follow a trajectory, which intersects with the atmosphere. That means space vehicles that follow suborbital paths do not complete an orbit. Suborbital flights also take lesser time than orbital flights.
The Preparation for Orbital Flights
According to Andrey Bokarev, there are three categories of orbital flight preparation. He further claims that the preparation requirements may vary from one company to the other. Here are the three categories.
- Making the Big Decision
This is the first and possibly the most important part of space travel preparation. So, why would you want to travel to space? Some individuals do that to experience something different but others want to appear in the records of first space tourists. You should have very clear objectives and be ready to pay a huge amount of money.
- The Medical Checkup
It is believed that people with medical problems cannot travel to space. Therefore, a medical checkup is important during the preparation. The space travel company has to ensure that you are strong and healthy enough to get to space.
If you have any conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer, you will not get a ticket. Following space travel through different forums, visiting the space museums, attending launching sessions, and watching videos from space companies will be a good idea if you are denied a chance due to health issues.
- Pre-Travel Training
After the space travel company ascertains that you are strong and healthy, you will have to go through pre-travel training. The purpose of the training is to help you use the offered facilities properly. Initially, the training took several years but things have changed. According to Virgin Galactic, their space tourists will blast off to space after a few months of training.
So, you have to be ready for intensive strength training and the use of the ladders on the spacecraft. You will also be trained on weightlessness because gravity does not exist in space. Furthermore, the trainers will teach you how to eat, drink, and use the washroom.
Conclusion
You have to plan for the space trip and attend every training session for an unforgettable orbital trip. Most companies have agreed with Andrey Bokarev that clients have to come first. If you have the opportunity and you can afford to travel to space, it is time to do that.
