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Space Tourism
Space tourism is little more than a fantasy at this point. A lucky few, each willing to pony up hundreds of thousands of dollars, get to travel to the edge of space and enjoy a few minutes of weightlessness and enjoy the beginning of the space tourism industry. Space travel may not be around the corner, but a quick flight might be close.
When will space tourism costs fall within reach?
Long before man first pushed the envelop of technology and entered outer space, the idea of space tourism fascinated far more people than the science fiction set. And generation after generation has fantasized about the idea of space tourism becoming more popular.
The idea of vacationing in outer space is one that seems more and more possible every year. Beyond the very rich, hitching a ride on a Russian flight, space tourism costs continue to be the greatest limiter on the possibility of space travel for the ‘average’ tourist.
The
recent and very popular X Prize captured the imagination of another
generation who look to the sky as a possible tourist destination. Reaching
an altitude well above the required 100 kilometers, the $10 million
dollar X Prize achievers showed that it may be some time before space
tourism costs are low enough to make any consistent travel possible.
One idea created and promoted by astronaut Buzz Aldrin aims to alleviate some of the space tourism costs by creating a global lottery. People from around the world would by a chance to win a trip in to space as a way to raise money to fund the continuing research in to making outer space a viable destination.
Once space travel is more viable and technology hurdles past current limitations, it is estimated that space tourism costs will run between $10,000 and $20,000.
Currently though, space travel costs have limited the dream of space travel to those astronauts and cosmonauts as well a lucky few who have paid the Russian Space agency to join a flight. Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth and Greg Olsen each paid tens of millions of dollars, trained in Russia and joined a flight in to outer space.
A number of companies throughout the world are attempting to drive down space tourism costs by developing an affordable reusable ship. Rather than the bulky and incredibly expensive US space shuttle program, these ships move space travel out of the realm of science and military research to tourism focused.
Colonies on the moon, floating space station hotels and daily flights to the heavens may be far off, but space tourism costs will never stop humans from dreaming of affordable space travel.
Space Tourism Costs make space travel only a dream.