The Boomtown Rats frontman is scheduled to be a passenger on a commercial flight to go see the cosmos up close and personal. September 11, 2013 3:29 PM PDT The trajectory of SXC's commercial flights to space. (Credit: Screenshot by Dara Kerr/CNET) One would think David Bowie, aka Major Tom, would be the first rocker to explore outer space. But, Boomtown Rats frontman Bob Geldof has beat him to it. Geldof announced Wednesday that he is confirmed as a passenger on a commercial flight to space with the company Space Expedition Corporation (SXC), according to The Telegraph. "Being the first Irishman in space is not only a fantastic honor but pretty mind-blowing... The First Rock Astronaut -- Space Rat! Elvis may have left the building but Bob Geldof will have left the planet! Wild!" said Geldof, according to The Telegraph. "Who would have thought it possible in my lifetime?" Related stories Apple extends new 'Space Gray' color to iPods, too Six incredibly beautiful Live Wallpapers for your Android Get up close and supersonic with Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo NASA rocket launch to the moon visible to East Coast tonight SpaceX to build spacecraft parts with motion tech and 3D printers SXC is a private company that is just beginning to offer commercial trips into space on its Lynx spacecrafts. No passengers have yet boarded the flights; the first trips are expected to launch in 2014. Each of SXC's missions are expected to last only about one hour as the spacecrafts zoom more than 50 miles through the Earth's atmosphere until they break the sound barrier, reach the point of weightlessness, and then return back home. All passengers must conduct training sessions in preparation for the flights. Geldof's mission is expected to fly in early 2015, according to The Telegraph. These one-hour space trips don't come cheap -- the cost is between $95,000 and $100,000. Geldof earned his ticket by performing at a charity auction to help orphans and street children affected by HIV and AIDS, according to The Telegraph.
The Boomtown Rats frontman is scheduled to be a passenger on a commercial flight to go see the cosmos up close and personal.
The trajectory of SXC's commercial flights to space.
(Credit: Screenshot by Dara Kerr/CNET)
One would think David Bowie, aka Major Tom, would be the first rocker to explore outer space. But, Boomtown Rats frontman Bob Geldof has beat him to it.
Geldof announced Wednesday that he is confirmed as a passenger on a commercial flight to space with the company Space Expedition Corporation (SXC), according to The Telegraph.
"Being the first Irishman in space is not only a fantastic honor but pretty mind-blowing... The First Rock Astronaut -- Space Rat! Elvis may have left the building but Bob Geldof will have left the planet! Wild!" said Geldof, according to The Telegraph. "Who would have thought it possible in my lifetime?"
Related stories
- Apple extends new 'Space Gray' color to iPods, too
- Six incredibly beautiful Live Wallpapers for your Android
- Get up close and supersonic with Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo
- NASA rocket launch to the moon visible to East Coast tonight
- SpaceX to build spacecraft parts with motion tech and 3D printers
SXC is a private company that is just beginning to offer commercial trips into space on its Lynx spacecrafts. No passengers have yet boarded the flights; the first trips are expected to launch in 2014.
Each of SXC's missions are expected to last only about one hour as the spacecrafts zoom more than 50 miles through the Earth's atmosphere until they break the sound barrier, reach the point of weightlessness, and then return back home.
All passengers must conduct training sessions in preparation for the flights. Geldof's mission is expected to fly in early 2015, according to The Telegraph.
These one-hour space trips don't come cheap -- the cost is between $95,000 and $100,000. Geldof earned his ticket by performing at a charity auction to help orphans and street children affected by HIV and AIDS, according to The Telegraph.
