The growing industry of space tourism wants to make it possible for ordinary people to make leisure trips into orbit. For space tourism to be feasible, it must be relatively affordable and safe to the general public. Companies involved with space travel need to construct reusable spacecraft that do not negatively impact the environment with available finances.
Space tourism is already a reality. In 2001, an entrepreneur spent $20 million to take a ship to the International Space Station in association with government science organizations. Therefore, it is already feasible for a few millionaires to accompany astronauts and cosmonauts on their routine visits. Space tourism now seeks to widen the audience to create an independent, commercial enterprise similar to today's cruise ships or luxury airliners.
Many challenges must be overcome before space tourism becomes feasible by offering an extravagant vacation option. One trip might be orbiting the Earth for a few days or visiting a satellite resort destination. Eventually, companies would like to charge around $100,000 in exchange for a weekend trip that has a low risk of injury or death. To do this, they must overcome the public's current perception that space travel is highly specialized, dangerous, and out of reach.
Several companies are at work to develop reusable, safe crafts with the cooperation of aerospace experts at NASA and airplane engineers. These private commercial developers must secure a great deal of investment, as well as establishing a demand for this service, before reaching their goal.
While space camps already offer people a chance to experience weightlessness, space tourism enchants travelers with the prospect of looking down at Earth from space. Initially, demand for this type of vacation doesn't rely on upscale restaurants, luxurious hotels, or any activity other than peering out of a porthole into the vast, profound emptiness. The experience of weightlessness attracts others. In time, this view of feasible space travel will evolve if demand and investment increases for commercial development and companies have enough reason to sell trips into orbit.
