Vacation to the solar system? New guide plans your future trip

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Not your usual beach vacation: A trip to outer space (WTOP's Rachel Nania)

WASHINGTON — It’s that time of year when the travel sections of bookstores are flooded with people pouring over the latest Frommer’s to plan their summer vacations.

The must-see museums in Madrid? There are guides for that. The best restaurants in Rome? Several maps on the shelves hold the answer.

But if you’re looking for a truly out-of-this-world journey, only one travel book will suffice. It’s called “Vacation Guide to the Solar System: Science for the Savvy Space Traveler,” and it details the must-do activities and can’t-miss destinations on the planets and their moons.

Olivia Koski, head of operations at Guerrilla Science, and Jana Grcevich, astronomer and science educator at the American Museum of Natural History, are the authors behind the new space travel publication. The idea for the book came shortly after Guerrilla Science launched its Intergalactic Travel Bureau, which hosts live, interactive space planning sessions for the public.

**The best places to vacation in space**
If Koski had to pick one place to visit, it would be Jupiter, which like Saturn, is a gas planet. “You couldn’t actually stand on the surface of Jupiter, but you could orbit around it and see the beautiful swirling gasses from orbit,” she said. Jupiter’s unique moons — including one covered in volcanoes and another covered in ice — are also a big draw. Grcevich’s pick would be Titan, the largest moon on Saturn. “I’m into beach vacations, although this is not a usual beach vacation because it’s several hundred degrees below zero,” she said. Travelers can expect to find “beautiful methane and ethane lakes that you could walk on the shores of” and an atmosphere so thick, one “could become airborne under your own power.” via AP) (NASA, ESA, and A. Simon (GSFC)

**Pack light** When it comes to packing for your trip through the solar system, less is more. “Every extra pound is going to cost you a lot of money. It’s the worst baggage fees ever because it has to be launched at tens of thousands of miles per hour in order to get out of Earth’s gravity,” Grcevich said. Forget about making sure you have enough T-shirts and, instead, pack out-of-the-box items that may come in handy in microgravity environments, such as Velcro to secure things to the wall. “But most importantly, don’t forget to pack all of the water and air and food that you’ll need for your trip, because you’re not going to be stopping along the way,” Grcevich said. (NASA via AP)

**Explore the local cuisine? Not so much** Sorry, foodies: Don’t expect any hot restaurants or authentic eateries at your destination. The only food you’ll be eating is the food you pack. Grcevich encourages spicy food, since nasal congestion and muted taste buds are a common complaint in microgravity environments. And packing things that are easy to prepare and reheat is a must — there are no Viking ranges on which one can create a meal. “You don’t want any open flames, obviously, as a fire hazard, because the fire department is not going to be putting out any fires that you set while you’re cooking,” Grcevich added. Picture: NASA’s Advanced Food Technology Project manager Michele Perchonok, right, and Lockeed Martin Sr. Research Scientist Maya Cooper, try a pizza recipe being tested in a kitchen at Johnson Space Center Tuesday, July 3, 2012 in Houston, Texas. NASA is currently planning a mission to Mars, which has gravity, so more options for food preparation, like chopping vegetables, are available as opposed to the dehydrated fare of current space missions. (AP Photo/Michael Stravato)

**Start saving your vacation days** Curious about the length of the flight? Koski says unfortunately, that’s something that’s almost impossible to predict, since all of the destinations are moving targets. If you’re taking a nonstop trip to the moon, you can make it there in about 10 hours. Headed to Mars? You’re looking at six months. And start saving your sick days now if you have your sights set on one of the outer planets. Koski says it takes about 10 years, each way, to get to Pluto. “So you’re going to have to take off a lot of time from work, and that can be a challenge for people who don’t have a lot of vacation days saved up,” she added. (AP Photo)

Olivia Koski, head of operations at Guerilla Science, and Jana Grcevich, astronomer and science educator at the American Museum of Natural History, are the authors behind the new space travel publication. The idea for the book came shortly after Guerilla Science launched its Intergalactic Travel Bureau, which hosts live, interactive space planning sessions for the public. (AP Photo) — **No, but really: When can we start planning?** When will planning a space vacation turn from a fantasy to a reality? Grcevich and Koski say that depends on the resources that are put toward it. “The fact that we were able to go to the moon in such a short period of time was really a function of how much we were investing in that goal,” Grcevich said. Keep in mind that a lot can happen in a few short decades. “One hundred years ago, airplanes were cutting edge technology, kind of similar to how we look at rockets nowadays. In 100 years, there could just be regular trips to Mars,” Koski added. In the meantime, a free virtual reality app can help you travel to Mars, and beyond, on your mobile device. At least then, all of your immediate planning isn’t for nothing. Download Space Vacation on iTunes. (AP Photo)

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While “Vacation Guide to the Solar System” errs on the side of fun and fantasy, the subject is no laughing matter. Koski and Grcevich include fascinating facts about the science of the solar system on every page.

They even consulted with astronomers, physicists and space lawyers to answer potential questions pertaining to planetary travel — including what it’d be like to ride a bike on Mars.

“It turns out that when you start asking questions like, ‘If you get mugged on the moon, what do you do?’ These are questions that haven’t quite been fully answered yet,” Grcevich said.

“But what’s fascinating is that a lot of people are thinking about them, even if that particular case hasn’t arisen yet,” Koski added.

Interested in an intergalactic holiday? Koski and Grcevich share some of their best tips for an expedition far away from Earth in the gallery above.

Olivia Koski and Jana Grcevich, authors of “Vacation Guide to the Solar System,” will be at D.C.’s East City Book Shop Wednesday, June 7 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.