SEATTLE -- It's not every day a client comes into a travel
agency with a $98,000 booking -- to outer space.
That's what happened to Jackie Pitts, who works for
Washington-based Portfolio Travel, when a regular customer handed
her a brochure from Zegrahm Space Voyages and asked her to make
arrangements for a trip that's literally out of this world. The
Seattle tour operator is promoting packages for space flights
outside of the Earth's atmosphere -- to the "official astronaut
altitude" of 62 miles above sea level.
Pitts had not heard of Zegrahm before her client, a seasoned
traveler who regularly takes exotic trips, made the request. At
first she didn't know what to make of it, but, after doing some
research, Pitts became convinced that Zegrahm's plans are for real.
"I had a lot of questions, but saw that the company has a good
reputation and the terms and conditions made sense," she said.
The client put down the required $5,000 deposit to secure a
space on one of the twice-weekly flights that Zegrahm has scheduled
to begin on Dec. 1, 2001. He will pay on an installment plan until
the balance is due 180 days before departure.
The flights, which are two-and-a-half hours long -- including
about two minutes of weightlessness -- are part of a seven-day
package. Much of the package program reads like a traditional tour,
with a hotel stay, meals and lectures, but there are unique
elements such as astronaut training in flight simulators and
monogramed personal spacesuits.
Portfolio Travel will collect a 5% commission on the $98,000
trip price and on the $4,000 that the client paid for Zegrahm's
trip cancellation insurance -- but not until the client is back
down to Earth. Until then, Zegrahm is putting the client's money in
a trust account, a fact that bolstered Pitts' confidence in the
program. And, if something should happen that causes Zegrahm to
cancel the space flight for a year after the departure date, the
client will get his money back.
Zegrahm is not the first to envision commercial space voyages.
Other firms have planned such trips, with some even taking names
for waiting lists, but none has come to fruition.
Scott Fitzsimmons, Zegrahm's vice president, said his company's
programs will fly. "Everything is on schedule and the interest has
been overwhelming," he said. "We're not talking about something
that is pie-in-the-sky. The technology is there, and it is a matter
of integrating it into the private sector."
In late November, Zegrahm, a division of 7-year old adventure
operator Zegrahm Expeditions, chose a contractor, AeroAstro of
Herndon, Va., to build a six-passenger space craft. AeroAstro,
which specializes in building satellites, also happens to be a
commercial client of Portfolio Travel's. "It was an incredible
coincidence," said Pitts. "But when we found out AeroAstro had
gotten the contract, it gave us an even warmer feeling about the
whole project because we know them well."
By the end of 1998, the builders expect to have a "proof of
concept" craft that will be used in tests required by the Federal
Aviation Administration. Zegrahm, which is not revealing the cost
of the space craft, joined forces with Vela Technology Development
Inc. of Fairfax, Va., to design the spaceship. Those who have
visions of NASA-style blast-offs will be disappointed. Take-offs
and landings will be horizontal, like conventional aircraft.
Thus far, Zegrahm said it has 25 deposits for bookings. "It's
the dawning of a new market for travel agents," Fitzsimmons said.
"As space gets developed as the next destination, the next step
would be orbits around the earth and then orbiting space hotels and
orbiting resorts," he said.
For information, agents can contact Zegrahm at (888) SPACE66.
The firm's Web site is at www.spacevoyages.com.