Holidays in Space...
It's a long time since men last went to the Moon; but there are now people living
all the time in the International Space Station . Today, space is just for
astronauts: but soon ordinary people ( well.. ordinary millionaires) will be able to
enjoy the experience.... if they can afford it.
When you're 50, what sort of holiday will you want to take?
If you're under 30 today, perhaps you'll be able to take a holiday in space.... if you
have a lot of money!
A Japanese company, Shimizu, plans to open the first hotel in space within 15
years.
They want to offer 3-day holidays in a space station, which will be bigger than the
International Space Station. However, holidays in space will be very expensive! About
90,000 dollars for three days! Shimizu believe that there are enough people who will be
ready to pay the price.
Other firms, in Japan and the USA, want to open hotels on the moon! Trips to the
moon will be even more expensive!
The Japanese firm is quite serious; but they cannot yet start building their orbiting
hotel.
First they will have to buy a commercial re-usable shuttle. Today there are no
shuttles. The old American shuttles, such as Atlantis and Columbia, were very
expensive to launch. They had to be launched into orbit with a big rocket which cannot
be re-used. Tomorrow's shuttles will take off and land on their own, probably like
aeroplanes. They will therefore be much more economical.
Such shuttles do not yet exist; and although Elon Musk, Virgin and Boeing are
working on them, they will not be ready to act as re-usable space taxis for several
years.
However, there are other big difficulties too. How will ordinary people react to life in
space? Today's astronauts spend months training before going into space. They have
to be in top form too.
Holidays in space will not be for tomorrow, that is certain; but they will come. That is
virtually certain too!
WORDS
within: in no more than - firms: companies - trip: voyage - shuttle: a vehicle that goes into space then
comes back again - launch: send into space - take off: leave the earth - land: return to earth - on their
own: without any assistance, by themselves - such shuttles: shuttles like this - react to: respond to -
Exercises:
A- Article or no article? Put back the articles (the, a or an) into this extract from
the article when they are necessary. Be careful; sometimes no article is
possible, but when? If no article is needed, use -
They want to offer 3-day holidays in ____ space station, which will be bigger
than ____ International Space Station. However, ____ holidays in ____ space
will be very expensive! About 90,000 dollars for three days! Shimizu believe that
there are enough people who will be ready to pay ____ price.
Other firms, in ____ Japan and ____ USA, want to open ____ hotels
on ____ moon! Trips to ____ moon will be even more expensive!
____ Japanese firm is quite serious; but they cannot yet start building their
orbiting hotel.
First they will have to buy ____ commercial re-usable shuttle. Today there
are no shuttles. ____ old American shuttles, such as Atlantis and Columbia,
were very expensive to launch. They had to be launched into ____ orbit
with ____ big rocket which cannot be re-used. Tomorrow's shuttles will take off
and land on their own, probably like ____ aeroplanes.
B- Answer the questions below:
1- Would you travel to space if you had the opportunity? Why (not)?
2- Why do you think people would travel to space in the first place? Do you
anybody who would like the experience?
