When the term space tourism is mentioned, many people tend to see it like a myth. Even after other successful missions to outer space, such as the epic journey to and from the moon by Neil Armstrong and his team and Tito Dennis, the first space tourist, some people still look at the excursions like movies.
However, things have become clearer following the recent success of SpaceX Crew Dragon launch and return with NASA astronauts. In this post, we are going to answer the question that everyone has been asking, “How does the launch inside a space shuttle feel?”
What Exactly is Space Tourism?
Before we can take a look at what happens during launch, it is important to start by understanding what space tourism is. Space tourism, as the name suggests, is the human travel to space for recreational purposes.
Unlike common traveling where you can use a car, bus, or simply walk, space traveling requires the use of special vehicles, such as SpaceX Crew Dragon and Soyuz. Soyuz was the first space tourism craft, which successfully carried the first tourist, Dennis Tito.
How Does the Launch Inside a Spacecraft Feel?
Before a space shuttle blasts off from the launch pad, just like said by Andrey Bokarev, it takes years of preparation and simulation. From the images of SpaceX Crew Dragon blasting off and leaving a cloud of smoke behind, one gets the impression of a loud bang, but space shuttles are strongly built, and it will not be deafening for those inside the rockets.
Before launch, about six seconds, the liquid-filled rocket, which is located at the bottom of the shuttle, is fired, tipping the vehicle forward a little. By the moment the vehicle gets back upright, it is like giant sticks of dynamite ignited, thrusting the vehicle out at about 100 mph. Approximately 8.5 minutes later, it will have accelerated to 17,500 mph.
For the first two-three minutes, it feels like gravitational forces are building upon you. It is like a pile of bricks that have been placed on your chest.
Then, after about eight minutes, when the engines cut off, the gravitational forces disappear, allowing you to feel lighter and yourself again. The shaking also stops, and all that you can hear is the smooth humming of the fans and the air circulating in the vehicle.
When you decide to try space tourism, everything is a thriller, from the launch to the awesome view of the earth from outer space. As we have demonstrated, the launch can be pretty rough, but there is no need to worry because you will have been trained for it well before the final launch.
