“But it won’t come with any Hilton or Marriott
points,” DeWit said during a news conference at
Nasdaq in New York City.
Travelers don’t have to be U.S. citizens. People
from other countries will also be eligible, as long
as they fly on a U.S.-operated rocket.
Since the space shuttle program ended in
2011, NASA has flown astronauts to the space
station aboard Russian rockets. The agency
has contracted with SpaceX and Boeing to fly
future crewed missions to the space station.
Private citizens would have to make travel
arrangements with those private companies to
reach orbit.
“If a private astronaut is on station, they will
have to pay us while they’re there for the life
support, the food, the water, things of that
nature,” DeWit added.
Depending on the market, the agency will allow
up to two visitors per year, for now. And the
private astronauts will have to meet the same
medical standards, training and certification
procedures as regular crew members.
The space station has welcomed tourists before
by way of Russian rockets. In 2001, California
businessman Dennis Tito became the first
visitor by paying for a journey and several
others have followed.
The announcement marks the first time NASA is
allowing private astronauts on board. The space
agency will not be selling directly to customers.
Instead it will charge private companies that
ferry passengers, which can pass on the costs
to visitors, NASA spokeswoman Stephanie
Schierholz said in an email.