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Business Hopes to Make Space Travel a Daily Occurrence

A Poway businessman rocketed into the brave new world of space tourism last month.

Jim Benson originally launched his career into space engineering when founding SpaceDev Inc. nearly a decade ago.

But his plans for personal space travel really took off Sept. 27 when he stepped down as chairman and chief technology officer of SpaceDev , creator of such space products as satellites and rocket propulsion systems , to launch Benson Space Co.

The Poway-based company will focus on hauling tourists into space.

He intends to be the first to market commercial suborbital flights for high net worth individuals.

Benson’s keen interest in space started in 1955 when, as a 10-year-old, he read Isaac Asimov’s “I, Robot.”

Shortly afterward, he became a card-carrying member of the Science Fiction Book of the Month Club.

Membership entitled him to having his name submitted to the first company offering commercial spaceflight.

More than 50 years later, Benson still has his membership card but there has not been a commercial spaceflight.

“I am tired of waiting, I am going to do it myself,” said Benson.

3-2-1 Blast Off!

A ride on one of BSC’s proposed flights will allow aspiring astronauts to blast straight up into the sky at extreme speeds while feeling the exhilarating G-force.

Participants will see the sky go black but replete with stars, and then look down at the curvature of the Earth 63 miles from above the surface.

Within 36 months, Benson estimates that BSC suborbital flights will use an existing NASA-designed launch vehicle. Use of this existing design lowers the cost and the risk of creating a new vehicle, says Benson.

He’s not set a ticket price, but it would likely range between $200,000 and $300,000.

Futron, a Bethesda, Md.-based technology management-consulting firm, conducted a detailed study among affluent Americans on their willingness to pay big bucks for space travel.

Nearly 19 percent of those interviewed, whose yearly income exceeds $250,000 and/or net worth exceeds $1 million, said they are interested in experiencing space travel if it were available.

In addition, Futron reported that 59 percent of respondents said the existence of a commercial facility designed for space tourists would make them more likely to take an orbital trip.

First To Go

Benson is confident the venture will be one of the first to offer suborbital flights. Already you can reserve a seat at bensonspace.com.

“I am dedicated to opening space for all of humanity and with SpaceDev well managed and growing, I plan to spend the next several years creating the possibility that anyone who wants to go to space will be able to, safely and affordably,” said Benson.

British entrepreneur Richard Branson, founder of Virgin brands, recently started his own personal space tourism company, Virgin Galactic.

Virgin Galatic is fully and independently funded by Branson and Virgin Group, and anticipates test flights to begin in late 2007, with commercial operated flights starting a little more than a year later. It is estimated that Branson is worth more than $5 billion, according to Britain’s Sunday Times.

“It is going to be Branson versus Benson in the race to space,” Benson said. “We are going to give him a real race for his money.”

Making just seven phone calls, Benson raised $1 million from five investors.

But his biggest challenge will be completing second-round financing for this new venture.

He will concentrate the first 90 days of the company’s launch by attempting to raise an additional $50 million.

A New Customer

BSC anticipates being one of SpaceDev’s largest customers, purchasing multiple spaceships and safe hybrid rocket motors for use in personal spaceflight. In 2004, SpaceDev began designing a reusable, piloted, suborbital spaceship, the SpaceDev Dream Chaser. The Dream Chaser is crafted in the likes of the existing X-plane design.

BSC plans to start with three Federal Aviation Administration-licensed SpaceDev Dream Chaser rockets in its fleet. Current plans call for at least one flight per day with the capability of up to four flights per day per rocket, which will depend on demand.

The company is evaluating launch sites in California, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico and Virginia. Benson said he will assure novice space travelers that the site will feature astronaut training and educational programs, vehicle and traveler preparation areas, viewing facilities, a runway, plus, of course, the launch pad.

Benson founded SpaceDev nine years ago to “revolutionize the industry.” SpaceDev has grown from one employee to more than 200 in three states with $25 million in revenues. SpaceDev designed and built mechanisms for more than 200 space missions.

SpaceDev’s newly appointed chief executive officer, Mark Sirangelo, said Benson has been a leader in the development of high value and cost efficient space technology, and wishes him success as he explores the exciting future of marketing space tourism.

“We also look forward to pursuing opportunities to work with him on exciting space programs now and in the future,” said Sirangelo.

Benson will remain a member of SpaceDev’s board of directors. He continues to own the largest amount of SpaceDev stock, about one-third of outstanding shares.

Benson founded and managed Compusearch for 11 years, before selling in 1995. He is a founding director of the Personal Spaceflight Federation, a trade association representing the emerging new personal spaceflight industry.

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