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

Madison brings Trevor Beattie to India - ADOI magazine 31 Aug 2010 at 8:15pm  ADOI magazine Madison brings Trevor Beattie to India ADOI magazine He will personally be devising the marketing campaign for Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic Space Tourism Programme and is booked to become Adland's ... and more » Read more... The Private Space Race - High Performance Composites 31 Aug 2010 at 1:28pm  The Private Space Race High Performance Composites The company is currently targeting the research and education market, as well as space tourism. Under development is a standard cabin payload system to host ... and more » Read more... Arrest warrant lifted on farmer - Herald.ie 31 Aug 2010 at 7:08am  Arrest warrant lifted on farmer Herald.ie ... space tourism company at Mojave, and SpaceX, the Hawthorne, California company seeking to become Nasa's choice for space station supply missions. ... and more » Read more... Two space companies test for NASA at edge of space - iTWire 31 Aug 2010 at 6:17am  Two space companies test for NASA at edge of space iTWire ... and Quake series of compute games), Armadillo is hoping to provided manned suborbital and orbital vehicles for the fledgling space tourism industry. ... and more » Read more... Space tourism a good scope for insurance firms 27 Aug 2010 at 5:55am  At an international conference on space business, organised as part of Bengaluru Space Expo 2010, speakers noted that since Yuri Gagarin's flight in 1961, citizens of 38 countries have flown in space. Read more... Space tourism sector a good opportunity for insurance firms - Economic Times 27 Aug 2010 at 4:26am  Rediff Space tourism sector a good opportunity for insurance firms Economic Times BANGALORE: As space tourism matures, it holds tremendous opportunity for insurance companies to offer risk coverage to those on-board, similar to what they ... Forming syndicate key to risk management for space venturesBrahmand Defence and Aerospace News all 6 news articles » Read more... Space becoming a lucrative enterprise, says Dr Pillai - Brahmand Defence and ... 26 Aug 2010 at 1:17am  Brahmand Defence and Aerospace News Space becoming a lucrative enterprise, says Dr Pillai Brahmand Defence and Aerospace News The emergence of space tourism, mining in planets and industrialisation of space has opened up ample opportunity for business in the space sector, ... and more » Read more... FAA Looks At Space Regs - AVweb 23 Aug 2010 at 4:15am  Brandon News and Tribune FAA Looks At Space Regs AVweb The FAA has partnered with eight universities to figure out how space tourism fits into the airspace and, in some ways, ... FAA starts considering private space travel rulesSan Jose Mercury News FAA Trying to Eliminate Challenges for Private Space TravelTopNews United Kingdom (blog) FAA picks CU-Boulder for space teamBizjournals.com all 111 news articles » Read more... Rocket Developed For Space Tourism Damaged On Runway - MyStateline.com 20 Aug 2010 at 1:09pm  Rocket Developed For Space Tourism Damaged On Runway MyStateline.com An aircraft that is supposed to launch paying tourists into space was damaged during a mishap on a runway in the California desert. ... Space tourism jet suffers landing gear problemOne News Page Landing gear problem with space tourism jet [AP via Florida Today]Space News Space Tourism SetbackCheap Holidays.com The Associated Press -Flightglobal -Herald.ie all 263 news articles » Read more... Is the Merlin engine the workhorse of future spaceflight? - The Space Review 16 Aug 2010 at 2:37am  The Space Review Is the Merlin engine the workhorse of future spaceflight? The Space Review Expendable launch vehicles such as these, however, offer scant hope of ever providing the basis for affordable space tourism under any definition. ... and more » Read more...