Some films were shot on board the space station, including a 2002 IMAX documentary narrated by Cruise. “Apogee of Fear” from 2012, a science fiction film, was also filmed in space by entrepreneur and space tourist Richard Garriott, the son of an astronaut.
But Cruise may be the first actor to endure extraterrestrial travel.
“We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to turn @ NASA’s ambitious plans into reality,” NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a tweet on Tuesday.
It’s unclear how or when Cruise will travel to the space station or which other crew members can join him.
Russia is the only country with the ability to fly humans to and from the space station, but SpaceX and Boeing have worked for years to develop spacecraft capable of returning that ability to the United States. SpaceX vehicle Crew Dragon is expected to complete its first manned mission on the ISS by the end of the month.
Unlike the human space flight programs of previous decades, however, NASA will not own and operate the vehicles of SpaceX or Boeing. Both companies will be authorized to sell seats aboard their spacecraft to tourists or others willing to pay the multimillion-dollar price.
SpaceX had previously announced that it would work with third-party companies to sell seats aboard Crew Dragon for approximately $ 50 million each.
This document also indicated how much certain services could cost: the use of life support equipment and toilets were listed at $ 11,250 per day. Food, air and other supplies were priced at $ 22,500 a day.
Rachel Crane of CNN Business contributed to this report.
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