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Ashton Kutcher, seen here at a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game in February, is the 500th customer to sign up for a Virgin Galactic suborbital spaceflight.
Virgin Galactic says uber-celebrity Ashton Kutcher is the company's 500th customer to sign up for a suborbital trip into outer space.
"I gave Ashton a quick call to congratulate and welcome him," Virgin Galactic's billionaire founder, Richard Branson, said today in a blog post announcing that Kutcher was coming on board. "He is as thrilled as we are at the prospect of being among the first to cross the final frontier (and back!) with us and to experience the magic of space for himself."
Kutcher, who got his start in television on "That '70s Show" and is now one of the stars of the highly rated sitcom "Two and a Half Men," is said to have a net worth of around $140 million. So the $200,000 fare for a ride on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo rocket plane, also known as the VSS Enterprise, shouldn't break the bank. He's as well-known for his online presence (with 9.8 million Twitter followers) and his gossip-column appeal (due to last year's breakup with Demi Moore) as he is for his filmography.
All this makes him arguably the highest-profile prospective spaceflier confirmed to be on Virgin Galactic's list — although Tom Hanks, Katy Perry, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are reportedly on the list as well. Beyonce and Jay-Z are among other celebs considering a flight. The stars are reportedly all paying their own way, except for physicist Stephen Hawking, who is receiving a free ride courtesy of Branson.
For Stephen Attenborough, Virgin Galactic's commercial director, getting to the 500-passenger point is as big a milestone as getting Ashton Kutcher to sign on. "It's great to get to No. 500," he told me.
It's way too early to put Kutcher's flight on the calendar. SpaceShipTwo is still in the midst of free-glide flight tests, with rocket-powered test flights expected to begin this year. Last year, Branson said he was holding out hope that he and members of his family will be able to take a ride into space as this year's Christmas present. That suggests 2013 could mark the start of commercial service, although Virgin Galactic and its partners at California-based Scaled Composites say the schedule is totally dependent on the outcome of tests at the Mojave Air and Space Port.
In Virgin Galactic's latest showreel, British billionaire Richard Branson talks about the genesis of the company, recent progress and what lies ahead.
The current plan calls for commercial flight operations to be based at Spaceport America in New Mexico. SpaceShipTwo, which is capable of carrying six passengers and two pilots, would be linked up to its wide-winged WhiteKnightTwo carrier airplane and brought up to an altitude of 50,000 feet. At that height, SpaceShipTwo would drop from its mothership and turn on its hybrid rocket engine. The blast would take the craft beyond 62 miles (100 kilometers), the internationally accepted boundary of outer space — a commanding height from which Kutcher and his fellow passengers could see the arc of planet Earth and the dark sky of space above.
There'd be a few minutes of weightlessness, and then the passengers would return to their seats for the descent. After weathering up to 6 G's of acceleration, the fliers would glide down to the landing — and get their astronaut wings back at Spaceport America.
Attenborough said Virgin Galactic is already giving a lot of thought to determining who would fly when. One of the factors in the formula would give priority to customers "roughly in the order that they signed up," he said, but the schedulers also would consider customer preferences and the possibility of achieving firsts in spaceflight (for example, ahem, first prime-time TV star in space). "We're expecting to be able to keep everyone happy," Attenborough told me.
How long do you think it'll be before Kutcher is clicking his camera on the final frontier? And do you suppose there'll be a deal to document everything for reality TV? Feel free to weigh in with your comments below.
More about celebrity spaceflight:
- Fly Justin Bieber into space, scientist says
- Bunnies in jetpacks? It's Playboy Club in space!
- Director James Cameron targets spaceflight
- Celebrities in space?
Alan Boyle is msnbc.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter or adding Cosmic Log's Google+ page to your circle. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for other worlds.
Leave a Comment:
The segway to this article is that if the United States wants to send up a REAL astronaut we have to buy them a fare on a Russian rocket! About the only thing we can currently launch is a new reality series on TV.
Meanwhile, what's left of NASA has the directive of something akin to improving muslim relations...
Obama has ruined the space program too. But we gave to Acornie and to the people he taught how to get unqualified loans in Chitcago. What a guy.
I doubt if you could come up with a more stupid comment, but please try. You even made my dog laugh, your comment was so dumb.
@ marilee:
Canceling Constellation and supporting Commercial Crew is possibly the best thign Obama could have done for spaceflight and development.
Shuttle? Sorry, that decision was made in 2004, under another guy...and with good reasons of safety and operational economics. (That is, it didn't have enough of either.)
Now if only a stake could be driven through SLS, and we could start doing serious (and affordable) manned space projects with the EELVs (and hopefully Falcons) that we already have...
i heard of these people it doesnt go to outter space it requires a aircraft to drop it and u are high up there but its fake. If u can reach a satilite or international space station then thats space
This uber-vain, adolescent, self-serving, OVER-RATED, punk, has his nose stuck up so far in the sky, that maybe, just maybe.., we'll all be lucky and he'll be stranded on the MOON!!
To all you haters:
It looks like "wallet envy" to me! Just cause he's got $200,000 grand to spend on this and you don't!
And he's got "Cougars" & "Kittens" to boot! ah the life.......................
Wallet envy? I really don't think anyone is sitting around lamenting that Ashton has 200k. I think the underlying problem is that there are so many people with a ton of money who are given preference over those who might actually deserve an honor or opportunity like this. Personally, I want the single mother who is doing a great job to have this. I want the school teacher who actually gives a damn to have this. I want the cancer patient to have her last dream fulfilled. I want...
It doesn't matter what I want because I don't have the money. It is shameful that importance is equated with money. If you call that wallet envy, fine. I call it being disenchanted with the fuked up priorities in this world. Oh ya, one more thing...how much money has been invested in this venture? How might that money have benefited the many instead of the select, entitled few?
just like anything, though, prices will come down. it takes these rich dbags to facilitate the refining and mass production that will eventually drop prices, like everything else in this ruthless, unfair, but efficient system of free enterprise we have. and these guys can be the sacrificial lambs if something goes wrong. and while this venture seems extravagant and frivolous, so, too, did the wright bros. endeavours.
It seems to be American engineers and manufacturers and mechanics that will be able to take home paychecks. I just wish I had $200K of disposable income and a healthy trim body to go up. Well, Stephen Hawkins is on the list, and I can walk.
The more that go up, the more money to build up the next generation of ships, and the more jobs for engineers and mechanics and others. I wanted to be an astronaut so much when I was a kid. Someone has to pay for the stuff--rocket fuel doesn't flow out of rocks.
@ Troy
"I think the underlying problem is that there are so many people with a ton of money who are given preference over those who might actually deserve an honor or opportunity like this."
They're not in business to give rides away, friend. For the expected operating costs of a suborbital spacecraft, that's what they have to charge to make a profit. Expensive things do favor people who can afford them. Why is that a surprise? Someone would have to foot the bill for any of those people you think deserve to fly above 100km more.
No, nobody rides for free...but the cool thing that you fail to see, is that it's possible to buy this ride at all. Ten years ago, it was impossible at any price. And if it doesn't start here, it never will get cheap enough for a larger number of people.
Some people can't afford a Caribbean cruise, either (including myself, at this time). Is that the cruise provider's fault? Sorry, there will always be something that somebody, somewhere can not afford.
"how much money has been invested in this venture?"
I don't know, but those people expect to make their money back, and more, too...and gamble (after presumably doing research and due diligence that this is a viable idea) that they will. That's how business investment has always worked. That this involves people reaching the edge of space changes none of that equation.
How exactly would you change the world such that we could all have something for nothing?
And how do you judge 'deserving?'
What would make this truly global and amazing is if a random drawing from tax returns was made. Say 5 people from each state would be chosen to be the first in space. Of course, they would be given the right to decline if they chose. But, per usual, money is the only benchmark of importance these days.
It's not funded by tax payers. All the love in the world won't pay for rocket fuel and oxygen tanks, otherwise we'd have a colony on Mars.
Virgin Galactic is a private business entity. It is not part of NASA or any other government space agency which means they are paying taxes, not being funded by tax money.
This dbag is perhaps the worst actor in the last 50+ years; his movies are complete garbage and his "Men" show is some of the worst on TV today. His political views are a long way left from his republican upbringing in Iowa. He married and divorced an old, plastic surgery corrected hag. I really do hope this ship floats out into space and never returns...I think I speak for most Americans when I say our lives will be better for it; then again, most people probably wouldn't even notice
Ashton Kutcher is so lame and no talent.Obviously his attempt at a TV show flopped.So now he will say anything to get attention. What a loser.
This is amazing news - should be on the cover of all the papers- really...this is amazing - maybe tomorrow they can tell us what Rosanne Barr is having for dinner - THAT should headline tomorrow's news -- not like we're in the middle of a war or something or a terrorist murdered didn't just killed 3 children and a father in France....nah...this stuff is amazing!
Please, please, please leave him in space after his flight. Thank you.
Who is this Ass related to in the movie industry, what a total pathetic so-called actor.
Dump him off in space along with Obama.
lets not forget what feeds the salary to these over paid actors - you and everyone else who read this story. His name was used by MSNBC to gain the attention of readers and by the looks of it, it worked. Maybe they wouldnt be so over paid if american culture wasn't so fixated on the glamour of hollywood culture.
maybe if we didnt feed the entertainment machine his space ride wouldnt be his joy ride
Ashton Kushner is married to one of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood and what does he do? He is attempting to get as far from her as possible and to where of all places a lifeless planet. The man needs some serious mental counseling and best conducted out behind the barn! He is made himself the laughingstock of the Hollywood media! May good fortune come your way Demi!
Are these atheists the same people that beg God to save their lives when its appears their lives are coming to an end? Probably so. Life is a miracle and it didn't come about by some chance occurence. If you don't believe in God or the miracle life is then take a close look into to the faces of your priceless children. The answer is staring you in the face. Recognize it for what it is. They are priceless creations and you and your wives have the creator of the universe to thank for the priceless gifts they are!
Outer space - the perfect place for a space cadet!
i understand not liking a guy or an actor, but there sure is a whole lot of vitriol for a.k. where does this come from? i mean, we don't know what went on between him and Demi. is this really all because he took charlie sheen's place on 2 1/2? i can see being temporarily pissed at an actor after spending money on a @!$%#ty movie they star in (like i have been with several nick cage movies), but geeeze, what did he ever do to you?
These comments are made by people who are fat, ugly, untalented, poor and jealous. They make the same comments every time someone richer, prettier or more talented than they are makes the news. They'll forget about it completely by their third bag of chips.
Maybe he could stay and practice comedy
If I only had the money - I would go to space too! So jealous!
Ashton Kuchner has been a "space cadet" for a long, long time. What Demi Moore ever saw in that BOY is beyond me.
Who cares what this overpaid d*p sh*t does. I'm so sick of these celebrities.
What? No one said anything about TSA patdowns for the flight?
Send that wanker and also the Fat kid from 2.5 men and be done with it.