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Georgia Woman Soars to 'the Edge of Space & Back' Aboard MiG-25

Posted on: Tuesday, 23 March 2004, 06:00 CST

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- "Flying to the edge of space was an amazing experience I will never forget," Travelers Advantage(R) "Edge of Space" Sweepstakes winner Kara Sutton said. "Both the trip to Russia and flight aboard a MiG-25 fighter jet were just unbelievable.

"I remember during the flight when the pilot said, 'We're going supersonic now,' and the MiG-25 started climbing through the atmosphere. I took pictures of the fabulous view but noticed that it was difficult getting my arms to lift upwards. It's like my camera suddenly weighed eight pounds. We're at Mach 2.4,' said the pilot. The sky kept getting bluer and bluer. 'We are at peak altitude,' the pilot noted. It seemed quieter for some reason now. I knew we would be at this apex for only a minute. I saw the curvature of the Earth at the horizon, the blackness of space above me and the meandering Moscow River in the white, snowy earth 80,000 feet below. I never realized how bright Earth is, it's as if it is lit from within," Sutton said.

"For someone like me, who grew up watching the Space Shuttle take off while I was in elementary school, this was the trip of a lifetime," she added. "But I also realize that today, space tourism is in its infancy. I'd love to have a chance to go fly even further from Earth in the future when space tourism begins to come of age."

A Georgia Tech graduate who works in a hospital Emergency Room here, Sutton entered the sweepstakes as a hobby and won the Travelers Advantage(R) "Edge of Space" Sweepstakes. The free Space Adventures(R) trip, which was valued at $18,995, included travel to Moscow, hotel accommodations and the flight from the Zhukovsky Air Force Base outside Moscow. Sutton's diary and photos of her trip are online at http://www.travelersadvantage.com/.

"Kara was one of more than 50,000 entries we received online at http://www.travelersadvantage.com/," Travelers Advantage Vice President Julia Ryan said. "Her response to the trip to 'the edge of space' suggests that space tourism has a bright future as these trips become more affordable in the years ahead."

Ms. Sutton currently works as a Specialty Technician in the Emergency Room at Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville, GA. After her trip, she plans to pursue graduate studies at the University of Iowa to become a Physician's Assistant.

"We're excited that Kara has flown in a MiG-25. The world needs more people like Kara who have an interest in space and a desire to explore," Space Adventures President and CEO Eric Anderson said. "I'm sure this will be a life-changing experience for her, as it has been for many others, when she sees our planet from such a unique perspective."

About Travelers Advantage

Members of Travelers Advantage (http://www.travelersadvantage.com/ or 1-877-841- 1335) can save money on air travel, cruises, car rentals and accommodations, as well as earn 5 percent cash back on eligible travel booked with preferred providers through the service. A three-month trial membership in Travelers Advantage can be enjoyed for only $1. The trial membership can be canceled at any time during the three-month trial period by calling toll free and owing nothing further. Unless the member calls to cancel, the membership will be extended automatically for an entire year at the $89.99 annual fee and automatically renewed annually upon expiration at the then-current annual fee, billed to a credit card account, without the member having to do anything further. Additionally, members may call toll free to cancel at any time and receive a pro-rata refund of their current membership fee. Trilegiant Corporation (http://www.trilegiant.com/) is a leader in the membership services and loyalty businesses, providing products and services that touch the lives of millions of Americans. Along with Progeny Marketing Innovations, Trilegiant is now part of Cendant Marketing Group.

About Space Adventures, Ltd.

Space Adventures(R), a leading space flight experiences and space tourism company, offers a wide range of programs, from Zero Gravity and Edge of Space flights, cosmonaut training and space flight qualification programs to reservations on future sub-orbital spacecraft. Headquartered in Arlington, VA, with an office in Moscow, Russia, Space Adventures is the only company to have successfully launched private individuals to the International Space Station. Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin; shuttle astronauts Kathy Thornton, Robert (Hoot) Gibson, Charles Walker, Norm Thagard, Sam Durrance and Byron Lichtenberg; and Skylab astronaut Owen Garriott comprise the company's advisory board. Please visit http://www.spaceadventures.com/.

Travelers Advantage

CONTACT: Tom Jackson, office, +1-203-956-1047, cell, +1-203-494-6093, orTodd Smith, office, +1-615-764-2598, cell, +1-615-202-7944, for TravelersAdvantage

Web site: http://www.spaceadventures.com/http://www.trilegiant.com/http://www.travelersadvantage.com/

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