Sensors Unlimited's chairman Greg Olsen is scheduled to blast off from Baikonur on 30 September 2005 to become the world's third private fare-paying astronaut
Gregory Olsen, co-founder and chairman of the board of Sensors Unlimited (SUI), is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) on 30 September 2005 at 11:54PM US Eastern time (8:54PM Pacific) on the Soyuz TMA-7 orbital spaceflight mission from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Olsen's launch and return landing will be covered by Nasa TV.
Scheduled coverage for the events leading up to and including Olsen's launch is available at Nasa TV and/or online.
An advanced technology pioneer and entrepreneur, Olsen is confirmed by Space Adventures to be the world's third private space explorer and the first space tourist since the Columbia tragedy.
While in flight, Olsen plans to conduct remote sensing and astronomy research projects incorporating Sensors Unlimited's shortwave infrared (SWIR) imaging technology.
A live webcast from the International Space Station will be available beginning 3 October 2005 through October.
Sensors Unlimited (SUI), founded in 1991 to pioneer design and production of near-infrared detectors, claims to be a world leader in indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) imaging technology.
With in-house capabilities, Sensors Unlimited manufactures advanced infrared cameras, shortwave-IR and near-IR focal plane arrays and revolutionary high speed PIN and avalanche photodiodes.
Its proprietary foundry and expertise delivers reliable, high performance products for a variety of critical military, security, industrial, commercial and telecommunications industries, it says.
Applications include covert surveillance, machine vision, night vision, health and safety protocols, historical art inspection and more.
