posted July 30, 2006 11:55 PM               

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Space Adventures, Ltd., the world's leading space experiences company, announced today that orbital spaceflight clients can now participate in a spacewalk during their stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Also known as an extra-vehicular activity (EVA), those clients interested in the spacewalk option have the availability to spend up to 1.5 hours outside of the space station.

Spacewalk candidates are required to participate in approximately a month of EVA simulations and other specialized training sessions, in addition to meeting the medical and physical requirements, familiarizing themselves with the Russian Soyuz TMA spacecraft and learning how to live aboard the ISS.

The current duration of a Space Adventures' orbital spaceflight mission is 10 days. Past orbital clients have paid $20 million (USD) for their spaceflight which includes six months of cosmonaut training. The addition of a spacewalk would lengthen the mission approximately six to eight days and the price for this option is $15 million (USD).

"Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov made history in 1965 when he took the first steps in space and since then, less than 200 others have experienced the thrill of walking in space. With the cooperation of the Federal Space Agency of Russia, Space Adventures is proud to offer the EVA option to our orbital spaceflight clients," said Eric Anderson, president and CEO of Space Adventures. "Many of our astronaut advisors have conducted spacewalks during their careers and their experience will provide great insight to our EVA clients."

"At the conclusion of our internal feasibility assessments and after careful consideration, we have come to the conclusion that subject to personal physical and psychological capabilities and with the completion of additional specific cosmonaut training, spaceflight participants could potentially perform an EVA," said Alexei Krasnov, director of the manned spaceflight department of the Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation.

Space Adventures has previously sent three private explorers to space. In 2001, American Dennis Tito fulfilled his dream of space travel, and in 2002, the 'First African in Space' Mark Shuttleworth launched and, last October, American Greg Olsen, took flight. Japanese entrepreneur, Daisuke Enomoto, is training for his spaceflight currently scheduled for September.

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