DSE-Alpha

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Deep Space Expedition Alpha (DSE-Alpha), is the name given to the mission planned to take the first space tourists to fly around the moon. The mission is organized by Space Adventures Ltd. who were responsible for taking the first space tourist Dennis Tito into orbit in 2001. The plans involve a modified Soyuz capsule docking with a booster rocket in Earth orbit which sends them on a free return trajectory that flies around the moon once. Tickets are expected to cost $100 million. It is hoped that launch will take place before 2010.

The use of the Soyuz spacecraft makes sense in many ways; the original Soyuz design of 1962 was specifically intended for circumlunar travel. In the late 1960s a stripped down Soyuz variant, under the name Zond, made several attempts at circumlunar flight, with eventual success.

The DSE proposal is to launch the Soyuz with one crew member and two passengers aboard; a Zenit rocket booster will then be launched carrying a rocket stage weighing up to 14.5t, to dock with the Soyuz and propel it to circumlunar velocity. On June 28, 2007 Space.com reported that two passengers have made reservations, with contract negotiations expected to be concluded by the end of the year.

Critics have argued, however, that the Zenit rocket is not powerful enough for this mission and that the larger Proton rocket will in fact be needed. The extra cost of the Proton rocket could push the total mission cost to well over US$100m.

Another criticism that has been levied is that the unmanned Zond missions were only partially successful, with one spacecraft suffering cabin depressurisation, and all but one failing to follow the correct re-entry and landing trajectory. If the trajectory problem were to recur on a manned mission the crew would be at risk of potentially dangerous g-forces and a sea landing in a remote area.