Space Adventures sets world’s first space tourist space walk for 2023
As the cost of accessing space falls exponentially it opens the door to a whole new era of space tourism.
Key takeaways
- Candidates for the brief mission in 2023 will have to complete specialised training before being transported to the ISS aboard a Soyuz MS spacecraft.
- One of the two passengers, who will have undergone additional simulation training, will then become the first private citizen to suit up and head outside for a space walk in the company of an experienced Russian cosmonaut.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2020) 'Space Adventures sets world’s first space tourist space walk for 2023', 311 Institute, 3 July. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/space-adventures-sets-worlds-first-space-tourist-space-walk-for-2023/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Space. The final frontier. Once home to well trained astronauts increasingly it’s being opened up to the first generation of space tourists, mega rich regular Joe’s like you and I but with a lot more money, so we too can marvel at the Earth from orbit and realise the wonder of NASA’s so called “Orbital Perspective.”
As companies around the world, from Blue Origin to SpaceX and Virgin Galactic all start selling tickets and building spacecraft and spaceports to take space tourists to orbiting space hotels and even the Moon, two other companies, RSC Energia and Space Adventures have now announced plans to fly two tourists to the Russian section of the International Space Station in 2023, with one of them embarking on what will become the world’s first tourist space walk.
The announcement comes less than a month after SpaceX's Crew Dragon made history as the first privately built spacecraft to carry astronaut's to the ISS, or NASA's new space hotel as it's also known now, and follows hot on the heels of Virgin Galactic signing a deal with NASA for private passenger trips to the orbiting laboratory.
Candidates for the brief mission in 2023 will have to complete specialised training before being transported to the ISS aboard a Soyuz MS spacecraft. One of the two passengers, who will have undergone additional simulation training, will then become the first private citizen to suit up and head outside for a space walk in the company of an experienced Russian cosmonaut.
RSC Energia and Roscosmos have previously worked with Space Adventures to shuttle tourists to the ISS on eight occasions between 2001 and 2009, but the upcoming space walk will add an exciting extra dimension to the adventure and it could quickly become one of the hottest tourist experiences in the world, or off it anyway.
"A private citizen completing a spacewalk would be another huge step forward in private spaceflight," said Chairman and CEO of Space Adventures, Eric Anderson. "We appreciate the chance to celebrate two decades of orbital space tourism with our Russian partners by opening up another first-ever experience. We applaud our colleagues at Energia for working with us to create amazing new adventures in space."
Sources: Energia, Space Adventures
FAQ
Why does this matter?
As the cost of accessing space falls exponentially it opens the door to a whole new era of space tourism.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- 443527main ASK 38 cities.pdf nasa.gov
- Virgin Galactic signing a deal investors.virgingalactic.com
- News 06 25 energia.ru
- Roscosmos and space adventures sign contract for orbital space tourist flight spaceadventures.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 3 July 2020. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2020). Space Adventures sets world’s first space tourist space walk for 2023. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/space-adventures-sets-worlds-first-space-tourist-space-walk-for-2023/
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