Space Tourism

The era of Space Tourism began om April 28, 2001 when Denis Tito was launched into space in a Russian Soyuz capsule. Tito, a multi-millionaire reputed to have paid $20 million for the trip, proved that traveling beyond Earth's gravity was not just the province of a select few, but that anyone with drive, determination - and at that point in history, a lot of money - could become an astronaut.

Since then, other tourists have journeyed to the International Space Station. But they remain a select few with huge disposable incomes to fund their dream of spaceflight.

All that began to change on June 21st, 2004. For some years before that, the X-Prize Foundation had challenged aeronautical engineers and companies to desing a resuable craft that could ferry paying passengers to space. SpaceShip One took the prize that June day in 2004 and the possibilies for ordinary Joes to get into space became a lot more realistic.

Other companies had competed but, perhaps suprisingly, none ever launched their own craft into space following SpaceShip One's success. At the time, everybody seemed gung-ho about their variations on reusable craft. Either they were over enthusiastic, overestimated their own capabilities or, beacuse the Prize had been won, decided to continue development out of the spotlight or drop our entirely.

But things have not been stagnant in the three years since the X-Prize was won. Richard Branson went into business with the makers of SpaceShip One (Burt Rutan and co.) in the hopes of launching a venture that would be accessible to a huge number of people interested in taking a trip to space.

No long after, Virgin Galactic was announced to the world, along with the development of SpaceShip Two, which would carry six people to the edgo of space in a sub-orbital flight. The going rate for a seat is $100, 000 and, while not cheap, is within the means of a lareg number of people. SpaceShip Two is scheduled to launch in 2009. And then the Space Tourism revolution really will begin.

Space Tourism

FAA, NASA Vie for Authority Over Commercial Space Safety - Wall Street Journal 18 Mar 2010 at 7:44pm  The Chosun Ilbo FAA, NASA Vie for Authority Over Commercial Space Safety Wall Street Journal Nelson, a primary backer of the original legislation giving the FAA authority over space tourism, asked if the FAA has "any business getting into" the ... Panel hears more about commercial rocketsAirForceTimes.com The pull of gravityFinancial Times Space agenda getting better Tally treatment this yearOrlando Sentinel (blog) all 58 news articles » Read more... Russia to resume space tourism in 2012 - RT 18 Mar 2010 at 9:24am  Boston Globe Russia to resume space tourism in 2012 RT Russia will increase the number of Soyuz spaceship launches and resume space tourism in 2012, an aerospace industry source told Interfax news agency on ... US-Russian duo returns to Earth from space stationReuters Russia could build extra Soyuz capsule for space toursRIA Novosti all 254 news articles » Read more... Virgin defends ?green? space flight - Environmental Expert (press release) 18 Mar 2010 at 1:58am  Virgin defends ?green? space flight Environmental Expert (press release) Virgin Group's controversial plans for the world's first space tourism flight have today been defended by a senior brand advisor to the company who argued ... Read more... Hotelier starts recruiting astronauts - Hotelier Middle East 17 Mar 2010 at 11:03pm  Telegraph.co.uk Hotelier starts recruiting astronauts Hotelier Middle East By Hotelier Middle East Staff A Las Vegas hotelier is recruiting astronauts in a bid to drive forward the company's plans for space tourism domination. ... Professional Astronauts Wanted for Space Travel CompanyTonic Astronauts wanted, experience essentialScientific American Help wanted: Space flight experience requiredReuters all 43 news articles » Read more... Space tourism entrepreneurs want to bring you to the stars - Metro Canada - O... 16 Mar 2010 at 9:03pm  Space tourism entrepreneurs want to bring you to the stars Metro Canada - Ottawa In 1968 the science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke wrote the classic 2001 and predicted mankind would be happily living in space. For a visionary rarely ... and more » Read more... Safe adventuring - Toronto Sun 15 Mar 2010 at 11:06pm  Safe adventuring Toronto Sun Space is within reach, if you want to wait around awhile. Russia this month announced they're ending their space tourism program, that would send the rich ... and more » Read more... New Mexico spaceport clears legislative hurdle - BusinessWeek 15 Mar 2010 at 10:06am  New Mexico spaceport clears legislative hurdle BusinessWeek New Mexico already holds a major advantage in commercial space development, Landeene said, because Sir Richard Branson's space tourism venture, ... and more » Read more... Space tourism industry gets legal insurance with informed consent ruling - Ge... 11 Mar 2010 at 10:19am  New York Times (blog) Space tourism industry gets legal insurance with informed consent ruling Geek.com Space tourism can't really go anywhere until this is settled? and it looks like it has been. Operators like Virgin Galactic have won a legal reprieve ... New Law Allows Space Tourism Companies to Develop It was signed into effect in ...Softpedia Virgin Galactic Lands Legal Protection Against Space TouristsGearlog (blog) For Sh15m, you can blast off to space with Virgin GalacticBusiness Daily Africa all 7 news articles » Read more... Space Tourism's Future Is Bright as Seats on Branson's Virgin Galactic ... - ... 5 Mar 2010 at 1:18pm  Examiner.com Space Tourism's Future Is Bright as Seats on Branson's Virgin Galactic ... Examiner.com To get the broad public as excited about space travel as it was in the 1950s and 1960s, space tourist companies plan to extend their services to the larger ... Virgin Galactic's Spaceship Readies For Commercial FlightsAtlantic Online Virgin Galactic lures more GCC space touristsMaktoob Business Virgin Galactic Almost Ready For Space TouristsIndyPosted (blog) National -CTV.ca -The Canadian Press all 153 news articles » Read more... Dubai Conference Seeks Investors in Space Tourism - ABC News 4 Mar 2010 at 10:17am  ABC News Dubai Conference Seeks Investors in Space Tourism ABC News The consensus, said the forum organizers, is that space travel could be viable within the next two to three years. "Space tourism is coming," said ... and more » Read more...