Ready for lift-off

Forget the million-dollar space tours. Take a no-frills trip to Earth's biggest spaceport to meet cosmonauts and watch rockets blast off

The MS-13 Soyuz rocket is hydraulically coaxed upright at the launchpad. Cosmonauts (from left) Andrew Morgan, Aleksandr Skvortsov and Luca Parmitano made up the crew for the flight to the International Space Station. The MS-13 Soyuz rocket, lying on
The MS-13 Soyuz rocket is hydraulically coaxed upright at the launchpad. Cosmonauts (from left) Andrew Morgan, Aleksandr Skvortsov and Luca Parmitano made up the crew for the flight to the International Space Station. The MS-13 Soyuz rocket, lying on top of a railcar, is rolled out to the launchpad from its massive hangar. PHOTOS: JOHN TAN
The MS-13 Soyuz rocket is hydraulically coaxed upright at the launchpad. Cosmonauts (from left) Andrew Morgan, Aleksandr Skvortsov and Luca Parmitano made up the crew for the flight to the International Space Station. The MS-13 Soyuz rocket, lying on
The MS-13 Soyuz rocket is hydraulically coaxed upright at the launchpad. Cosmonauts (from left) Andrew Morgan, Aleksandr Skvortsov and Luca Parmitano made up the crew for the flight to the International Space Station. The MS-13 Soyuz rocket, lying on top of a railcar, is rolled out to the launchpad from its massive hangar. PHOTOS: JOHN TAN
The MS-13 Soyuz rocket is hydraulically coaxed upright at the launchpad. Cosmonauts (from left) Andrew Morgan, Aleksandr Skvortsov and Luca Parmitano made up the crew for the flight to the International Space Station. The MS-13 Soyuz rocket, lying on
The MS-13 Soyuz rocket is hydraulically coaxed upright at the launchpad. Cosmonauts (from left) Andrew Morgan, Aleksandr Skvortsov and Luca Parmitano made up the crew for the flight to the International Space Station. The MS-13 Soyuz rocket, lying on top of a railcar, is rolled out to the launchpad from its massive hangar. PHOTOS: JOHN TAN
John Tan 
Updated
Aug 03, 2021, 05:00 AM
Published
Aug 03, 2021, 05:00 AM
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To be a space tourist, it takes a lot of spare change - and it may also help to have a billionaire dad.

Two weeks ago, Oliver Daemen, 18, the son of a Dutch financial guru, snagged a ride on the inaugural flight of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 03, 2021, with the headline Ready for lift-off. Subscribe

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