우주에서 성관계 가능할까?…英서 모집

 

우주에서 성관계 가능할까?…英서 모집

[서울신문] 2008년 06월 07일(토) 오후 02:00

 

우주에서 성관계를 갖는다?

영국의 민간우주여행 회사 ‘버진 갤럭틱’(Virgin Galactic)이 이색적인 우주 관광상품을 내놨다. 내년 중 우주관광 프로그램을 시작할 예정인 버진 갤럭틱은 “우주에서 새로운 역사를 쓸 커플을 모집한다.”며 무중력 상태에서 성관계를 가질 커플을 찾고 있다고 영국 텔레그래프 등 유럽 언론들이 보도했다.

윌 화이트혼 버진 갤럭틱 사장은 “이미 여러 커플들이 문의해왔다. 그중 하나가 우주에서 성관계를 가진 최초의 커플로 기네스북에 기록될 것”이라고 말했다. 그러나 과학자들은 무중력상태에서의 성관계가 가능할 지에 대해 의문을 제기했다.

우주의학 전문가 제임스 로건 박사는 “무중력 상태에서의 성관계는 ‘때리고 맞는’ 정도의 경험밖에 되지 않을 것”이라며 “향후 아주 약한 중력이라도 있는 개발중인 화성에서 시도하는 것이 차라리 낫다.”고 주장했다.

한편 버진 갤럭틱은 내년 민간 우주기지인 뉴멕시코의 스페이스포트에서 관광프로그램을 시작할 예정이다. 이미 세계 각국에서 신청자가 몰리고 있는 가운데 예약금으로 3000만달러(약 307억원)를 낸 200명과 계약을 마친 상태다.

사진=텔래그래프 인터넷 캡처

서울신문 나우뉴스 박성조기자

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Branson unveils Virgin spaceship 

Last Updated: Thursday, 28 September 2006, 11:36 GMT 12:36 UK 

 

                 The "spaceships" are designed to carry a maximum of eight people

Sir Richard Branson has unveiled a mock-up of the rocket-powered vehicle that will carry clients into space through his Virgin Galactic business.

The Virgin spaceships are designed to carry six passengers and two pilots to an altitude of about 140km on a sub-orbital space flight.

Tickets on a Virgin Galactic flight are expected to cost £100,000 ($190,000).

The mock-up of the spacecraft was unveiled at the Javits exhibition centre in New York on Thursday.

The Virgin craft are based on the design of Space Ship one, built by aviation pioneer Burt Rutan, which became the first privately built vehicle to reach space in 2004.

Space Ship one made three flights to altitudes just greater than 100km - the edge of the Earth's atmosphere - claiming the prestigious Ansari X-Prize.

Public access

The rocket plane was first carried to a launch altitude of 15km (50,000ft) by an aircraft, or mothership, called White Knight.

It was then released and ignited its rocket engine, which propelled it through the atmosphere.

                          Sir Richard tested a passenger seat inside the mock-up

The $10m (£5.7m) Ansari X-Prize was offered to the first non-government, manned flight into space.

Virgin Group has contracted Rutan's company Scaled Composites to design and build the passenger spaceship and its mothership. Virgin Galactic will own and operate at least five spaceships and two motherships.

The passenger flights, which could begin in 2009, will take off from a $225m (£127m) facility called Spaceport America in the New Mexico desert.

Will Whitehorn, president of Virgin Galactic, said the firm was in negotiations over a reality TV show.

In the show, contestants would compete to win a place on a space flight, the Press Association reported.

Mr Whitehorn said: "The indications are that we can create a show that would give people the chance to go into space. It would be a cross between Dr Who, Star Trek and the Krypton Factor."

Virgin Galactic is one of several private firms vying to open up public access to space.

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                                      Virgin Galactic Experience