| Those who hate to fly would not be thrilled to hear | | | | However, such flights will only occur if they are well |
| about one of the newest ways to travel: spaceship. | | | | within the law. As of today, the US required any |
| It all began back in 1985 when the first non-astronaut, | | | | company wishing to launch passengers from |
| Jake Garn, flew on Discovery from April 12th to April | | | | anywhere is the US to receive a license to do so from |
| 19th as a specialist. Later, on April 28th, 2001 Dennis | | | | the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of |
| Tito became the first space tourist when he paid a | | | | Commercial Space Transportation (FAA/AST) |
| fee to visit the International Space Station (ISS) for | | | | ("Space Tourism."). Also, numerous safety precautions |
| seven days. He was followed by Mark Shuttleworth, a | | | | must be taken into consideration before anyone |
| South African millionaire in 2002 and later by trained | | | | leaves the planet in an orbital. Some of the major |
| scientist Gregory Olsen in 2005 ("Space Tourism."). | | | | issues being looked at are the construction of a |
| Since Olsen, no one has traveled to space for | | | | spaceport and building a runway long enough to allow |
| recreational purposes, but that is soon about to | | | | for the orbital to get up to speed before liftoff. Also, a |
| change. | | | | large population cannot be around the area where the |
| According to Jane Reifert, president of Incredible | | | | ships will be taking off. Weather delays may become |
| Adventures, space tourism already has a market. | | | | an issue as well. However, none of these issues seem |
| Reifert says that customers at Incredible Adventures | | | | to deter interest in space travel as a recent study |
| enjoy the simulation of weightlessness achieved from | | | | shows that interest in space travel has increased as |
| a MiG-25 and a modified B-727 conducting certain | | | | of late in correlation with the dropping price of orbitals |
| flight maneuvers (Ebner). This is just a taste of what | | | | and the new lower training time (Ebner). |
| customers are expected to experience during | | | | Currently there are only a few major contenders in the |
| "personal spaceflight" (the preferred term). Besides | | | | space tourism business; however that number is |
| weightlessness, seeing Earth from space is among the | | | | expected to grow with an increase in interest. Space |
| perks, as many astronauts describe this view as | | | | Adventures sits near the top of the list as it is the only |
| "mind-boggling". Also, those who enter space will feel | | | | contender that has sent participants into space. Space |
| as though they are among a privileged few who have | | | | Adventures was behind all tree paid participants that |
| had the opportunity to do so ("Space Tourism"). | | | | have traveled to space since 2001 (Ebner). Other |
| So far, the vehicles to make these "suborbital flights" | | | | companies include Virgin Galactic (part of the Virgin |
| for individuals go up to 160 kilometers above the | | | | group), Blue Origin, Armadillo Aerospace, XCOR |
| Earth's surface. At this stage, weightlessness is | | | | Aerospace, and Rocketplane Limited ("Space |
| obtained and customers would be able to float around | | | | Tourism"). These companies hope to have you |
| for about three to six minuets. Also, they would obtain | | | | clamoring to blast off in just two short years. The next |
| a chance to view the stars and the curved Earth. | | | | step is making these rides as comfortable as possible |
| Although currently costs can be a high as $200,000, | | | | for the traveler. How do you feel about space orbital |
| this is expected to drop to under $20,000 over time | | | | food? |
| ("Space Tourism"). It is projected that by 2021, as | | | | Works Cited |
| many as 14,000 passengers will be able to book these | | | | Ebner, Kimberley. "Space Tourism: Ready for the |
| flights per year, giving the space travel industry well | | | | Masses? |
| over $700 million in revenue (Ebner). | | | | |