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Astronauts

Can You Train Like An Astronaut at JSC for $45,000? Not Without NASA's Permission.

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
January 28, 2014
Filed under ,

Keith’s note: According to Waypoint2space.com “To go into space, step out of the vehicle, and float above the earth while reaching for the stars – but wondered if you have what it takes? For the first time in history, you can train like an astronaut using the most advanced facilities and equipment in the world. Operating from NASA’s Johnson Space Center, we offer the definitive training experience with our fully comprehensive and immersive space training programs. These one-of-a-kind programs prepare you for spaceflight while you experience first hand what every astronaut has during their preparation for space. Additionally, SFP’s are trained in accordance to our FAA Safety Approval ensuring a consistent level of spaceflight competency.”
Sounds cool. But a closer look raises some important questions.

At the bottom of the webpage, under the heading “our industry”, are the logos of Virgin Galactic, XCOR, Moon Express, SpaceX, Blue Origin, SNC, Boeing, and Excalibur Almaz. But no mention is made as to whether these companies endorse this business or use its services. They also list their address as “Johnson Space Center, 2101 NASA Parkway, Building 35, Suite 213, Houston, Texas 77058”. This is inside the gate at JSC.
I sent inquiries to the company and got several responses from Kevin Heath (with cc: to his media people) – but he added this language to his responses:
“This electronic mail (including any attachments) may contain information that is privileged, confidential, and/or otherwise protected from disclosure to anyone other than its intended recipient(s). Any dissemination or use of this electronic email or its contents (including any attachments) by persons other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by reply email so that we may correct our internal records. Please then delete the original message (including any attachments) in its entirety. Thank you.”
(Apparently) he won’t let me tell you what he said. Suffice it to say it was straightforward to confirm elsewhere that there is no agreement currently in place with NASA although discussions have been held. They put out a press release today announcing that they have FAA safety approval to teach some classes on Crew and Space Flight Participant Training but they have no deal in place with NASA to actually teach them at NASA or to use NASA facilities – as they claim on their website. Their Google+ page proclaims “At Waypoint 2 Space, we are proud to be the only Commercial Space Training Company in the world using NASA facilities. Operating from the global hub of space technology – NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas”
Indeed, they are charging $45,000 and are asking for money in advance (now), stating “Our Level 1 classes are accepting enrollment and are scheduled to begin in April 2014. At this time, we have limited enrollment with only 300 seats available. Due to limited availability, participants must pay in full to receive priority placement, including choice of seat – 1 to 300 – and flexible scheduling options.”
So … how is it that Waypoint2Space is selling services – services that it is not (yet) in a position to offer? 300 seats at $45,000 a seat is $13.5 million. What does NASA get from this deal? How can they advertise prices like this (and take deposits) without an agreement in place?
Don’t get me wrong, I think the general concept is cool. Its just that the sequence of events seems to be incorrect.
In limbo: Shutdown creates long-lasting impacts for NASA’s JSC
“Waypoint 2 Space, an HTC client company, has already been impacted by NASA’s shutdown. The company, which has seven employees, has a Space Act Agreement with Jacobs Technology Inc. for their technology, which trains space flight participants. In order to move forward with its technology development, Budzik explained that Waypoint 2 Space also needs a Space Act Agreement with NASA. Waypoint 2 Space was expecting to secure this agreement in the coming weeks, but, with the shutdown, it will probably be put off until the next year, which will significantly slow down its work progress.”
Waypoint2space: Closer Look at Website Claims About Operations at NASA JSC
Waypoint2space Clarifies A Few Things About Astronaut Training at NASA JSC

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

20 responses to “Can You Train Like An Astronaut at JSC for $45,000? Not Without NASA's Permission.”

  1. Tritium3H says:
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    A famous quote, attributed to P.T. Barnum, comes to mind. Just sayin’.

  2. dbooker says:
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    Uh Keith, the text says “Any dissemination or use of this electronic email or its
    contents (including any attachments) by persons other than the intended
    recipient(s) is strictly prohibited.”

    But you WERE the intended recipient if he replied to your inquiry therefore you can disseminate the contents.

    • kcowing says:
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      No I can’t – if you read what they wrote. They only sent it to me – not you 😉 And I asked them not to include it on future responses – and yet they did.

      • Steve Pemberton says:
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        But you never asked to receive confidential information from them and were not asked to sign a confidentiality agreement before they sent you the information. Instead they sent you the information, and then told you that it’s confidential and that you can’t share it. Too late and too bad IMHO

  3. dbooker says:
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    Hey Keith, rather dated but provides some entertainment.

    http://www.goldmark.org/jef

    • kcowing says:
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      Indeed, these disclaimers are stupid. Anyone who uses them in a response to a media inquiry is doubly stupid.

  4. Andrew says:
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    Checkout Goggle maps. It shows WayPoint 2 Space in building 35!

    • Oscar_Femur says:
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      That actually makes sense because B35 is now half open conference rooms and half devoted to working with commercial ventures.

  5. Rocky J says:
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    This is a good idea. First American company training astronauts. They’ve taken the lead. Hasn’t a private citizen flying to ISS had only one option – go to Russia for training?

    I wonder when SpaceX will start an astronaut program. The first Commercial Crew launch of astronauts will be their first in Dragon. After that do they have private launches planned to say, test new capabilities of their Dragon capsule or to rendezvous with maybe a Bigelow module they deploy. Is Musk chomping at the bit to fly? Will any private human spaceflight by SpaceX begin only under the banner of their mission to Mars?

    • Oscar_Femur says:
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      Um, United Space Alliance trains astronauts, and they are an American company.

      • Rocky J says:
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        Well yes, contractors to NASA. I don’t see any private citizens involved; the whole idea of this new venture.

    • ASFalcon13 says:
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      Um, no, they’re not the first American company training astronauts. ETC/NASTAR has been training prospective commercial spaceflight participants for several years now.

      • kcowing says:
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        Indeed, I am a graduate of the NASTAR Suborbital Scientist Astronaut Program as are many others!

        • Rocky J says:
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          Have these other companies, e.g. NASTAR, have access to NASA facilities as part of their commercial venture? This would explain the circumstances better. The Curry Company in Yosemite, (NASA gift shops and visitor centers?), other concessionaires have used government property to turn a hearty profit for ages. So maybe this startup is kinda selling some Outer Space snake oil at the moment. How does it compare to a 70 metric ton Can of Snake Oil called SLS? Priceless?

          Waypoint was an easy target or waste in the 0.6% of the NASA budget called EPO. Now SLS or Orion are not so easy when there are friends on both sides of no man’s land and when a Washington politician can be your greatest ally and your worst enemy at the same time.

          • ASFalcon13 says:
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            I remember you reporting on that, Keith! I’m a NASTAR graduate too, and they run a very good program.

            Rocky, you might not be training specifically in NASA facilities at NASTAR, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that they built some of NASA’s facilities. NASTAR is run by ETC, which also builds training equipment, like centrifuges and altitude chambers, for the U.S. Air Force and other air forces. NASTAR’s facility is also used for human factors research and military training when the NASTAR classes aren’t in session. So, while their facility isn’t at a NASA center, it’s still the real thing.

  6. Rocky J says:
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    There is news at spaceflightnow that NASA is buying more Russian Soyuz seats for 2017 and 2018. I think with the shortfall of 2014 funds allocated to Commercial Crew, NASA has had to take this extra step of buying more seats just 9 months since their last purchase. Roscosmos has repeatedly raised ticket prices to ISS. Now that this funding level was made clear with the new budget, NASA apparently wasted no time buying seats at present pricing rather than waiting a year or two and risking buying at even higher prices. While they have not explicitly stated that 2014 Commercial Crew funding levels will push back the start of Commercial Crew flights, this is the first indication that this is the case.

  7. Andrew says:
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    I sent WayPoint2Space an e-mail asking as a potential customer if they had any agreements with NASA. No response yet. (And I’m not kidding “Potential Customer”)

  8. Matt_Tx says:
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    The stock photo of the center used by the October 2013 Houston Business Journal article is pretty old. Before my time. How old is that picture anyway?