STOCKHOLM — Izindiza ezimfishane zabavakashi eziya emkhathini kulindeleke ukuthi ziqale ukwethula zisuka enyakatho yeSweden ngo-2012, enye yezinkampani ezibambe iqhaza kulo msebenzi ithe ngoLwesithathu.
"Silindele ukuthi izindiza zokuqala zabavakashi ezisuka e-United States zizoqala ngo-2011 bese kuthi iKiruna (esenyakatho neSweden) ilandele esikhathini esingangonyaka kamuva, ngo-2012," kusho okhulumela iSpacesport Sweden uJohanna Bergstroem-Roos etshela i-AFP.
Izindiza zizoqhutshwa i-Virgin Galactic, ephethwe yinjinga yaseBrithani uSir Richard Branson, ozoqala ngokuthumela amakhasimende akhokhayo endaweni engamakhilomitha angu-110 (amamayela angu-70) ngaphezu komhlaba esuka eNew Mexico e-United States.
I-Virgin Galactic ithe ngoLwesibili isayine izikhungo ezinhlanu zokuhamba zaseNordic ezizogunyazwa ukuthengisa amathikithi e-US kanye nokwethulwa kweSweden, okuzoqala ngezindleko zamadola angama-200,000 (ama-euro angama-153,000) ucezu, yize intengo izokwehla. ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.
"Siyethemba ukuthi iKiruna izoba yindawo enkulu yokwethulwa kwezindiza zabavakashi eYurophu," kusho uBergstroem-Roos, eveza ukuthi idolobha eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angama-145 (amamayela angama-90) enyakatho ye-Arctic Circle beliyikhaya le-Esrange Space Center kusukela ngo-1966.
"Izindiza ze-suborbital ezizothunyelwa nezivakashi ziyizinhlobo zezindiza esesivele sizihamba zisuka e-Kiruna, nakuba namuhla sithumela izindiza ezingenabasebenzi phezulu kakhulu, kumakhilomitha angu-800," kusho yena.
"Sinesipiliyoni ngempela uma kukhulunywa ngomsebenzi wasemkhathini."
I-Kiruna futhi isivele iyingcweti kwezokuvakasha kanye nabavakashi bezilwane zasendle abalangazelela ukubona izenzakalo zemvelo ezifana ne-Northern Lights kanye neLanga Laphakathi kwamabili, hlala e-Ice Hotel eseduze noma uhambe ngohambo lokushushuluza, lwesihlibhi sezinja noma lwesithuthuthu seqhwa.
"Silindele ukuthi uma umuntu oyedwa emndenini oza lapha efuna ukundizela emkhathini, mhlawumbe amanye amalungu omndeni azobhalisela okunye okuhlangenwe nakho," kusho uBergstroem-Roos.
Cishe amathikithi angama-300 asethengisiwe ezindizeni ezimfushane zezivakashi, esho, wengeza ngokuthi ngenkathi amaDanes, Finns kanye namaSweden bephakathi kwabathengi, iningi labanikazi bamathikithi abakhona ngeke bafune ukulinda ukuthi ukwethulwa kweKiruna kuqale futhi khetha ukundiza usuka e-United States.
“Abantu abaningi bafuna ukuba phambili,” kusho yena.
