Old Astronauts4Hire Website

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 28, 2011 Astronauts4Hire Announces Selection of New Flight Members Orlando, Florida – Astronauts4Hire is pleased to announce the selection of its third class of commercial scientist-astronaut candidates. The nine new recruits were selected through a rigorous process that included consultation with former NASA astronauts. "The selection process was painstaking," said Astronauts4hire Vice President and Membership Chair Jason Reimuller. "We received numerous applications and over the course of a month had to chose only a handful of applicants who showed just the right balance of professional establishment, broad technical and operational experience, and a background that indicates adaptability to the spaceflight environment." The new Astronauts4Hire Flight Members are accomplished research professionals spanning diverse fields of science, engineering, and medicine: Christopher Altman – Graduate Fellow, Delft University of Technology Dr

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 27, 2011 The Beer has Landed: Astronauts4Hire Completes Space Beer Microgravity Test Orlando, Florida – Astronauts4Hire has completed its inaugural paid contract to test the world’s first beer designed for consumption in space. The experiment, which marks humanity’s first formal study on alcohol absorption in microgravity, took place aboard a parabolic trajectory microgravity flight out of Cape Canaveral, Florida operated by Zero Gravity Corporation (ZERO-G). Yesterday’s flight was the first in a series of microgravity flights qualifying the beer recipe for consumption in space, funded in part by sales of the beverage on Earth. The Vostok Space Beer, produced as a joint venture between Saber Astronautics Australia and the 4-Pines Brewing Company to serve the emerging space tourism market, is a high-flavor, low-carbonation stout designed for easy drinking both in microgravity and on Earth. Astronauts4Hire was contracted by the Vostok partners to provide t

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 26, 2011 Astronauts4Hire Announces Creation of Advisory Board Comprised of Astronauts and Astronaut Instructors Orlando, Florida – Astronauts4Hire proudly announces the creation of its Senior Technical Advisory Council (STAC). This group consists of well-established human spaceflight experts who will provide technical and strategic guidance to Astronauts4Hire as it trains a new breed of professional commercial astronauts who can be hired to conduct space missions. "With such well-respected professionals advising us, Astronauts4Hire gains tremendous credibility as an organization that can effectively train its astronauts to meet and exceed customer expectations," says Astronauts4Hire President Brian Shiro. The initial STAC members include a former NASA astronaut, a former corporate astronaut, and two former astronaut instructors: Dr. Scott Parazynski – Physician and former astronaut who has flown 5 Space Shuttle missions and conducted 7 spacew

Less than a week after completing his High Altitude Indoctrination training , Astronauts4Hire member Dr. Erik Seedhouse underwent Gravity-Tolerance training at the Defence Research and Development Canada, Toronto  (DRDC) centrifuge facility. The $25 million DRDC centrifuge has a 20-foot swing arm and is capable of safely spinning humans up to 9G (9 times normal gravity). Erik performed 3 runs in the centrifuge that included gradual onset to 4G, gradual onset to 5G, and rapid onset to 5G.  He practiced the  Anti-G Straining Maneuver (AGSM) for 10 seconds while at the maximum acceleration on each of the three runs.  This nearly completes Dr. Seedhouse's qualification as a Research Specialist Astronaut according to the A4H training standards, which Erik will present next week at the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference in Orlando, Florida. A video of Erik's centrifuge training is available here: Passengers on suborbital flights will encounter different accelerat

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 21, 2011 Schedule of Events During the 2011 Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference Tampa, Florida – Astronauts4Hire will conduct a number of activities during next week’s Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference (NSRC), providing important opportunities for the organization to connect with the suborbital research community. Unless otherwise noted, the events listed below will be held in the Student Union building on the University of Central Florida campus at 4000 Central Florida Blvd in Orlando. Saturday, February 26 (Cape Canaveral) Vostok Space Beer microgravity test flight. See also: http://www.astronauts4hire.org/2010/10/a4h-in-spotlight.html Monday, February 28 (12:30 - 1:45 pm, Garden Key Room) Press Conference: announcement of new Astronauts4Hire flight members, advisors, and more. Monday, February 28 - Wednesday, March 2 (Pegasus Ballroom A/D, Booth 107) Astronauts4Hire exhibit space open for visitors throughout the duration

A4H Flight Member Dr. Erik Seedhouse recently completed High Altitude Indoctrination (HAI) training at Defence Research and Development Canada, Toronto , which has a hypobaric chamber capable of simulating conditions up to 100,000 feet altitude. The HAI Erik completed included a rapid decompression to 10,000 feet while he was breathing a Combined Altitude Depleted Oxygen (CADO) mix of 10%, which allowed him to reach an equivalent altitude pressure of 25,000 feet. While at 25,000 feet Erik completed various mathematical tests to experience the effects of hypoxia . Then he connected his air mask back to the regular air supply and descended. HAI is an important exercise because it prepares one for emergency situations when an air or space craft might lose cabin pressure, such as when the vehicle must be abandoned during flight. The resulting rapid and explosive decompression doesn't give passengers and crew much time to react. Thus, they must be able to recognize the signs of hypox

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 7, 2011 Astronauts4Hire Joins the Commercial Spaceflight Federation as Research & Education Affiliate Tampa, Florida – Astronauts4Hire is pleased to announce that it has officially become a Research and Education Affiliate of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. Astronauts4Hire joins research and education affiliates such as Purdue University, Johns Hopkins University, Princeton University, George Mason University, and the University of Central Florida that are interested in flying scientists and payload specialists onboard the new generation of commercial suborbital spacecraft. "We are pleased to welcome the Astronauts4Hire nonprofit as an affiliate of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation," stated John Gedmark, executive director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. "The Astronauts4Hire organization is a diverse group of enthusiastic future scientist-astronauts, and its members have backgrounds ranging from engineering and avi