Woman space flier looks far, far ahead

Q: It's interesting that you were so closely involved with the X Prize. Can you compare or contrast what the X Prize tried to do for suborbital flight with what the Russians and NASA are doing for orbital flight?

A: Well, the X Prize started with suborbital, but even from the start we had a larger vision in mind. We wanted to make sure that the challenges we offer in the form of competition were in steps that were achievable, so we have continuity. The first step was the suborbital competition. But our mission is to keep that going, and eventually get to orbital missions, maybe lunar missions and beyond.

So with that vision in mind, I feel that the experience I'm gaining by taking this trip will be very helpful for understanding what it takes for someone who's not a professional astronaut or cosmonaut to prepare for an orbital flight. What types of training are necessary? What are some of the activities that people may have to be trained for and be aware of before taking this kind of trip?

Doing an orbital flight is very different from being on a suborbital flight, because the duration is longer, and the effects of weightlessness are much more pronounced. The G-forces that you experience during re-entry are very different. My experience so far, and my experience from this flight, will help me make sure that we have a good plan for orbital flights for the general public and nonprofessional astronauts.

Q: Can you provide a status report on how far along Prodea has gotten with the development of the new suborbital spaceship?

A: We are working with a couple of the designers of suborbital vehicles and have discussed opportunities for different spaceports around the world. As you know, Virgin Galactic has started working with designer Burt Rutan to build "SpaceShipTwo," and they're working with New Mexico to offer a spaceport in the U.S. So we are focusing on offering the same types of flights in other locations outside the U.S. Basically, I'm looking forward to seeing more competition in this area, because I believe with more competition, we'll have better pricing and more people will fly. Ultimately, my family's vision is to allow more and more people to experience space travel.

Q: Is there any time frame for starting service?

A: I think the next two to three years will be when we see a lot of activity in suborbital flights being commercially available and actually flying people.

Q: And that time frame would apply to your venture as well?

A: It's something that is still in the early stages. It's hard for me to pinpoint a date for it. It's certainly what we are shooting for, but it's not in a state that I can say concretely that would be the date.

Q: There have been some news reports that the Russians had to make changes in the Soyuz accommodations because of your status as a woman. Do you have any funny stories to tell about that?

A: Well, the only modification that I'm aware of is the modification to the toilet they had to make. The toilet is not a very convenient contraption to use to start with, but there is a funnel at the top of it that people use for urination. And in addition to the funnel, they needed to have another female adapter for the top of the toilet system. That's the only thing I'm aware of, unless there's something else I'm not privy to.

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