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Why Go Into Space

Space tourism involves ordinary citizens purchasing tickets to travel to space. While initially just short sub-orbital flights like Alan Shepard's in 1961, the technology exists for orbital flights and space hotels. There is huge demand among the public in industrialized nations to travel to space if possible. However, the main obstacle is the conservative nature of the current government-funded space industry since Sputnik. Commercial space tourism could allow a diverse new group of people like musicians, politicians, and business leaders to experience space travel together. Adventure tourists seeking extreme experiences will likely be the first wave of space tourists as destinations on Earth become more accessible over time.

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Malik Iftikhar Khattak
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75 views2 pages

Why Go Into Space

Space tourism involves ordinary citizens purchasing tickets to travel to space. While initially just short sub-orbital flights like Alan Shepard's in 1961, the technology exists for orbital flights and space hotels. There is huge demand among the public in industrialized nations to travel to space if possible. However, the main obstacle is the conservative nature of the current government-funded space industry since Sputnik. Commercial space tourism could allow a diverse new group of people like musicians, politicians, and business leaders to experience space travel together. Adventure tourists seeking extreme experiences will likely be the first wave of space tourists as destinations on Earth become more accessible over time.

Uploaded by

Malik Iftikhar Khattak
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction –What is space tourism?

Space Tourism is the term that's come to be used to mean ordinary members of the public buying
tickets to travel to space and back. Many people find this idea futuristic. But over the past few
years a growing volume of professional work has been done on the subject, and it's now clear
that setting up commercial space tourism services is a realistic target for business today.
The first steps will just be short sub-orbital flights, like Alan Shepard made in 1961, since these
are easier than getting to orbit. But the technical know-how to make passenger launch vehicles
and orbiting hotel accommodation is available, and there is enormous unsatisfied demand -
market research has revealed that most people, at least in the industrialized countries, would like
to take a trip to space if it was possible. This gives huge scope for reducing the cost of space
travel by large-scale operation like airlines.

The main obstacle is simply the conservatism of

the space industry as it is today. Since Sputnik was launched in 1957 most space activities have
been funded by governments.

And this "cold war" pattern of space activities has created an image of space that colors
everyone’s' thinking about it - writers, journalists, politicians, scientists and engineers, and the
general public. Even science fiction writers assume as obvious that most space activities will
always be government activities.
Why Go Into Space?

For many people, the idea of venturing into space is a closely held dream. The thrill of being
selected to strap into a space vehicle and roar towards the heavens, of freely floating in three
dimensional spaces and looking down at the earth below is at once sublime and euphoric. It is
hard to put words to the feelings of this group of dreamers; they are at once passionate and
committed, perhaps beyond what surveys can capture.

Social Impact

With the advent of commercial tourist launch capability, a more diverse array of people will
suddenly have the opportunity to experience the cosmos. Whatever the mix is, it will certainly be
interesting. Musicians, politicians, environmentalists, movie stars, mountain climbers, and heads
of companies may all find themselves on the same trip enjoying a view of a world that they
share.

Recreation, Tourism and Space

Adventure tourists are similar to explorers, searching for excitement, challenge or the
extraordinary. They go to places where no tourism infrastructure exists and so are willing to take
higher risks. However, as the tourism industry grows and evolves, many places that were exotic
a few decades ago are now common tourist destinations and so are easily accessible. It is
getting harder to be a pioneer, so the adventure tourists must seek more extreme places. The
exotic position that Africa held 30 years ago for tourists is now occupied by Nepal and
Antarctica. Given this evolution, space is the logical next step for adventure tourists, who will be
the first wave of space tourists.

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