Increasing interest in space tourism reported

During the last year, both Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin launched their first tourist suborbital space flights at Kármán line altitude (100 km), while SpaceX debuted with Inspiration4, a low orbit mission, but at much higher altitudes (2000km) than that of the other 2 ventures.

 

Moreover, the first-ever space hotel, a commercial space station as well as suborbital balloon rides are also part of humanity’s plan to intensively develop the space tourism sector.

According to a recent research by VacationRenter, 47% of regular people believe that such experiences will soon be available for everybody by the end of 2029. Currently, a Virgin Galactic space flight costs about $450,000, which is considered to be exorbitant.

The survey questioned 1,002 Americans, from Baby Boomers to Gen Z representatives. According to the results, most Gen X participants would pay up to $74,000, while Gen Z participants $41,000 to take a trip high above Earth, as general enthusiasm for such experiences is on the rise. Celebrities are also wanted in space, with 50% of the respondents willing to witness orbit performances of various kinds.

According to billionaire and SpaceX owner Elon Musk, one ticket to Mars might be more than available in the near future, with costs less than $100,000, which is much more reasonable when compared to present day ticket prices.

“[…] low enough that most people in advanced economies could sell their home on Earth and move to Mars if they want", Musk explained in a statement.

Two in five people would choose SpaceX and one in three would chose Virgin Galactic if they were to ever experience such an amazing space trip, the survey shows.

Moreover, travelling to destinations even far away than just the Earth’s orbit seems to be on many people’s minds. And this might not only be an unreasonable sci-fi scenario, as NASA aims to establish a permanent base on the Moon for people from Earth to visit regularly. The plan is set to someday become a reality via the Artemis program, just a little step in humanity’s great exploration journey aiming at the generations to come to break the sky’s limits in the search of new space adventures.

 

Source: autoevolution.com