mo4ch:>Privatizing space? Strapped-for-cash NASA to open International Space Station to tourists | Mo4ch News

NASA, floundering under the weight of its promise to return to the Moon by 2024, has been forced to take on some extra work to pay the bills: playing host to private tourists aboard the International Space Station.The US space agency has announced its section of the space station is open for business, available for leasing to private astronauts and commercial companies alike, starting as soon as next year. Not only will customers have access to space – they’ll even be able to use NASA’s astronauts for their commercial work, and use their technology to execute their projects – whether it’s a film shoot, an advertisement, or perhaps the world’s most expensive birthday party.Use of the ISS won’t be cheap, of course – that would defeat the purpose. A “mission,” lasting no more than 30 days, will reportedly cost over $50 million. While NASA will only send up two private missions per year, the money adds up quickly and would go a long way toward filling the ever-widening void left as the Tr…