A U.S. company said on Wednesday it wants to send two tourists on a
trip around the moon at a cost of $100 million per ticket.
Space Adventures Ltd, which has already sent two civilians on
separate trips into space, says it has researched and identified more
than a thousand prospective（未来的；预期的）
customers with the necessary wealth for a moon shot as early as 2008.
"This is only the first step. Before we can land on the moon, we
have to go around it," said Space Adventures' Chief Executive
Officer Eric Anderson at a news conference.
The Arlington, Virginia, company plans to lead missions that will
eventually land on the moon.
The trip around the moon would last between eight and 21 days,
depending on whether the travelers make a stop at the International
Space Station.
Potential customers already discussing the $100 million tickets
include several Americans and one Briton, Anderson said.
Aside from wealth, potential moon travelers will need time to train
for the mission and must meet health requirements.
Space Adventures and Russia's Space Agency, which is eager to attract
extra funds, have sent two tourists into space -- U.S. businessman
Dennis Tito and South African Mark Shuttleworth -- on week-long trips.
They cost $20 million each, according to media reports.
Energiya, the Russian company that helps build and fly Moscow's
spaceships, will build the equipment necessary for the round-the-moon
mission.
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（8月10日），一家美国公司表示有意为两名旅游者提供环绕月球旅行的机会，每张票的价格是一亿美元。
太空探险有限公司曾两次成功地将两名普通旅行者送入太空。该公司表示它们已调查并找到超过1000名有财力最早在2008年进行绕月旅行的潜在客户。
“这仅仅是第一步。在我们能够登上月球之前，先绕着它旅行。”太空探险公司的CEO埃里克·安德森在一次新闻发布会上说。
这家位于弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿郡的公司计划在不久的将来完成登上月球的最终任务。
绕月旅行将持续8到21天，主要取决于旅行者是否在国际空间站逗留。
安德森说，已经开始讨论价值一亿美元的“机票”的潜在客户包括几名美国人和一名英国人。
除了足够富有外，潜在的月球旅行者还要花一定的时间接受飞行任务训练，而且必须达到一定的健康要求。
太空探险公司和渴望吸引更多资金的俄罗斯航天局已将两名旅行者成功送入太空，进行了为期一周的旅行，他们是美国商人丹尼斯·蒂托和南非的马克·夏特尔沃斯。据媒体报道，他们为此各花费了两千万美金。
协助制造并放飞多艘莫斯科太空飞船的俄罗斯艾尼及亚火箭与空间公司将为绕月飞行制造必需的设备。
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