If The Netherlands Win The World Cup They Will Head To … Space
After winning the Super Bowl, players typically say, “I’m going to Disney World!’’
Well, if the Netherlands win the World Cup, they will be saying, “I’m going to space!’’
XCOR Aerospace has, according to Forbes, “promised a free flight to every member of the team should they make the goal.’’
XCOR, based in Mojave, California, researches and develops vehicles to be launced into space.
On July 8, XCOR’s Chief Operating Officer Andrew Nelson wrote a blog post about their decision.
“As we were getting ready to announce the acquisition of SXC, which was founded and based in Holland, Michiel Mol, one of the founders of SXC, brought us the idea of flying the Dutch team if they won it all. It was right after the amazing header goal in the Group stage game versus Spain by Robin van Persie. He was truly a Flying Dutchman on that goal! Michiel felt that van Persie and his teammates should really do something unique and fly to space if they won the whole thing. Having come in 2nd three times in the World Cup, maybe this would be something to motivate them that last inch (‘centimeter’ is probably more appropriate) if they made it all the way to the finals.’’
SXC, or Space Expedition Corporation, is a Dutch company that XCOR bought at the end of June.
The vehicle that would take the team up into space is the suborbital vehicle, Lynx, where one passenger at a time is taken up 100 kilometers into the air, according to Nelson. A pilot-astronaut is in the left seat of the cockpit and the “participant,’’ as they are referred to, is in the right seat. On the way up, the Lynx goes at 1000 meters per second, which, according to Nelson, is faster than a high powered rifle.
The participant will be able to see a 800-900 mile radius while they are out of the atmosphere. The trip last for about 30 minutes, but the vehicle is out of the atmosphere feeling weightlessness for 5-6 minutes.
Tickets normally cost $95,000.
But, why do civilians need to go to space?
Nelson said:
“I think it satisfies a need in humans to see something incredible in the reach for space, but at the same time it is important for us to have platforms like this to do interesting research, like investigating the atmosphere to see climate change, improve our satellite systems, testing things, and education purposes. It drives an interest in children and is important for innovation culture. It’s not just about rich people flying.’’
And the long term benefits of space tourism?
“The big benefit will be when a kid at in middle school can do a real space experience and will get hooked and be the next Bill Gates of space,’’ Nelson said. “I think that is the long term payoff.’’
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