Besides Space Adventures, Virgin Galactic and XCOR are the other main ventures focused specifically on taking passengers to space. Ultimately, the physical preparation is as much about comfort as it is about survival. “We’ve been doing a lot of work to demonstrate that physical fitness is not a necessity,” said Dr. Rebecca Blue, a flight surgeon currently employed by Virgin Galactic. Blue, as an assistant professor at UTMB, led a study independent of Virgin Galactic that found even people with common medical problems — including asthma, emphysema and back and neck injuries — could safely withstand the stress of commercial space travel. “We want people to take this opportunity to really kind of focus on health and fitness as a lifestyle choice, so you enjoy the flight and don’t simply tolerate it.”