TripAlertz wants to send you to outer space … for free

TripAlertz, whose launch we covered for you earlier this year, is celebrating their official “grand launch” (what do you call an online grand opening, anyway?) with a chance to win an “Epic Journey into Space”!

You can lift-off with Colonel Rick Searfoss (retired), who is one of only seven astronauts with more than 50 flights in rocket-powered vehicles. The winner can even assign the trip, subject to certain restrictions, as a gift to family, friends or a charity.

“Everyone kept telling us that we needed a launch strategy, so we took it literately,” said founder Brendan Murphy.The Epic Journey into Space is offered via a partnership with XCOR Aerospace, builder of the Lynx Suborbital reusable space plane and provider of rocket technology to leading global companies. Lynx pilot, Colonel Searfoss, has flown the Space Shuttle three times, twice as pilot and once as Commander. His first space flight as pilot in 1993 set the record for the longest duration Space Shuttle mission to date. In 1996, he piloted Atlantis to the Russian space station Mir.

The two-seat Lynx Mark I vehicle takes off horizontally from a runway with a powerful ascent reaching over twice the speed of sound (Mach 2+) on its way to the edge of space. The profound blackness of space, the spectacular view of Earth’s curvature, and 1,600 miles of viewing are unforgettable sights while experiencing weightlessness at apogee.

Using TripAlertz’s collective bargaining model, the TripAlertz Epic Journey into Space Package could be purchased for $95,000, yet as more people purchase, the power of collective buying can drive the price lower for everyone.

Those who purchase the package will also receive a personalized high definition DVD recorded by onboard cameras along with other stellar mementos and specialized pre-flight training at a luxury resort in Arizona.

The TripAlertz Epic Journey into Space includes a five-night stay at the Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa during training and preparation, medical evaluation and screening, a cancellation insurance policy, and of course the Lynx flight itself, which promises to be the greatest ride off Earth. A deposit of $20,000 begins the process of assigning each space tourist to the training and qualification program.

The winner of the Free Epic Journey into Space will be drawn live on broadband-streamed television at the TripAlertz Summer Solstice Party on June 21, 2011. To enter, join the site (click here) you’ll automatically receive one entry. To gain additional entries, refer friends – you’ll get one entry for each person who joins.

You’ll also get one entry for every dollar you spend on TripAlertz.

Also, anyone buying an Orlando package during the initial offer period (March 15 – June 21) will receive two tickets to Kennedy Space Center for free and increase their odds of winning.

Correction: 5:50 PM – Thanks to Blogger Stephen Greenwood for pointing out that they’re technically sending you to “space” and not “outer space.”