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Many people share the dream of flying, Franz Haider wants to go even further: Born in Sallingberg, he is one of the first 100 “space tourists” to fly into space with Virgin Galactic. The Virgin boss Richard Branson flew on July 11th as the first from the circle of “space billionaires” into space. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos wanted to follow suit on July 20 (after the editorial deadline, note).
Haider’s enthusiasm for space has been with Haider since he was a child: As a seven-year-old he saw the Apollo 11 mission live on television: “At that time I told my mother that I wanted to be an astronaut,” explains the now 59 year old in Lower Austria -Telephone call.
“As a seven-year-old I was fascinated by the Apollo 11 mission and said to my mother: I’m going to be an astronaut.” Space tourist Franz Haider
During a trip around the world as a 25-year-old, the idea took shape: “We were at the most distant point from our home. With a friend, I thought about how it could be topped. Then only one thing occurred to us: a trip into space or to the moon. “
Ticket cost 150,000 euros. In 2007, Haider found out about the possibility of booking space travel with Virgin Galactic in a television program. He expresses his serious interest in the Austrian contract partner. A first meeting with information about the flight takes place three days later. Shortly afterwards, Haider is the first Austrian space tourist to book his ticket for just under 150,000 euros. As a transport company, he sold his company three years ago and has lived as a privateer in Austria and Florida ever since.
Training with up to 6 G. In 2008 Haider traveled to the presentation of the first detailed models of the spacecraft SpaceShipTwo and the carrier aircraft White KnightTwo. In addition, the Sallingberger completed centrifuge training at the NASTAR Center in Philadelphia, where jet pilots and astronauts are also trained for the forces of acceleration: On the one hand, vertical forces of up to 3.5 G (i.e. three and a half times one’s own body weight) act from above, pulling the blood off the head pressed into the body and legs. With horizontal forces of up to 6 G from the front, it presses the body into the seat, and this force also compresses the lungs.
In 2009 the spacecraft SpaceShipTwo will be presented at Mojave Air & Spaceport in California. Also there are the Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and another space tourist, Victoria Principal, known as Pamela Ewing from the television series “Dallas”.
Exact start date not yet fixed. In between, Haider does a Zero G flight – i.e. without gravity – in Cape Canaveral. Two years ago, Haider met with other space tourists in Baltimore: There, his measurements were taken in order to sew a tailor-made spacesuit.
Then it’s time to wait. “The past year and a half have been difficult because of Corona. There have already been several test flights, now Richard Branson’s first official flight took place, ”explains Haider. When exactly it will be the turn of the Sallingberger has not yet been determined: “I don’t know whether it will take nine months or two years. But I’m among the first ten flights. “
The fact that he’s been waiting for his flight for over a decade doesn’t bother him: “If a craftsman says he needs 14 days, it will be three weeks. Virgin Galactic has poured billions into this project. Safety is the top priority. ”A glance at Haider’s mailbox shows that it won’t be long: Last week he received around 20 emails with new information about the flight. “I am currently doing a daily fitness program and taking care of my body. Everything is fine and I’m fit for the flight, ”says Haider.
Just a few minutes of weightlessness. Haider has known for a long time how the journey into space will take place: A carrier aircraft will fly 15 kilometers into the air for 45 minutes. Then the spaceship disengages, the rockets give thrust for 90 seconds. At the edge of space, Haider can take off his seat belt and enjoy the weightlessness and the view for a few minutes before it goes down with forces of up to 6 G when re-entering the atmosphere. Overall, the entire flight takes between two and three hours. Haider is already looking forward to the feeling of being the first Austrian space tourist: “I’m happy when I can be at the forefront somewhere.”
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