Can you afford to go to space? Only if you can spend a $60 million bag

Making it to space is almost everyone’s dream. From a space station orbiting our beautiful blue planet are astronauts that look down and wonder at the awe and power of a sphere that rotates around a giant sun.

We look back at them as they twinkle in a dark sky that seems so distant. We too wonder what it would be like to see us from up there.

Well, that could happen sooner than we think. NASA recently announced plans to open the International Space Station to commercial business, including tourism. But, again, how Sway?

There were mad promises made for this space tourism program to get going dating back to the SpaceShipTwo days.  Now, with Branson’s Virgin Galatic, Musk’s Space X, and Bezos’ Blue Origin privatized spaceflight initiatives, commercial flights to space could go down by 2020.

According to the Friday announcement, NASA is willing to allow some ventures that are purely for profit, without requiring an educational or a research component. That could include flying trinkets to space and then selling them on Earth.

Still, getting space is not for the poor of pocket. You most definitely need a bag plus five bags on reserve to be able to afford the venture into the mysterious dark dimension.

For starters, it costs around $35,000 a night just to post up in the space station and there are no one-day trips. Nah you have to chill for a good 30 to 60 days, fam. That’s an extraterrestrial bag for regular accommodations such as WiFi and a bed.

Not to mention the basic amenities, including water and a toilet. Oh yeah, and AIR! Also, based on the history of our wonderful capitalistic and entrepreneurial spirits, naturally, expect the private companies involved to add some tax to that sweet $35 g’s.

We haven’t even gotten to how much it costs to get there. HA! At a news briefing on June 7, Jeff DeWitt, NASA’s CFO said estimated that one seat on a space flight, operated by SpaceX and Boeing, would cost around $58 million.

With only two private space flights allowed per year, space tourism wouldn’t even come close to covering the costs of operating the space station. Noted by the NYT, NASA currently spends $3 billion to $4 billion a year, or more than $8 million a day on the giant can orbiting our planet.

Damn, the washed Millenials and the bratty nation of Gen-Z have a lot of saving to do if any of us are looking to get up there any time soon. For sure, it would be an epic feat.