Space Tourism Sector – The Rational Outgrowth of Adventure Tourism Market
Written by: Gurneet Kaur
ABSTRACT
The Space Tourism Sector, as the title suggests itself, is the logical outgrowth of the adventure tourism market that paves a path for legitimate travellers to become an astronaut and explore space travel for business and recreational purposes. It should be noted that the space tourism sector gained prominence after the orbital and suborbital opportunities became available.
This paper is an attempt to analyse whether space tourism is a considerable step in expanding tourism? Whether this segment of the aviation industry covers a large or small segment of consumers who are willing to have space experience? Whether after years of dedication and hard work, this segment would be a turning point for the tourism sector? Whether there is any insurance concerning the lives of legitimate tourists? Whether there are any legal or political issues in space travel? Whether there are any challenges to which the existing legal framework is ineffective to respond?
Whether the states should adapt to the current airspace rules or should establish comprehensive regulatory rules/laws for space tourism? Whether there is any long-term approach to the Private Space Mission? Whether there is any provision or precautionary measures concerning the safety of the space tourists? Whether space tourism has been approached widely ignoring the cultural interpretations and the political economy? Whether the future of the space tourism sector is bright or is critical? Whether the future of the space tourism sector is subject to paradoxes in the long run? This paper is an attempt to address all such controversial questions that crossed the minds of thousands of readers.
Keywords- Space travel, Space tourism, legitimate tourists, Private Space Missions, Airspace rules, space sector, orbital space tourism, suborbital space tourism, Outer space legal regime.
THE ORIGIN OF SPACE TOURISM
- Orbital Space Tourism-
The birth or development of space tourism was witnessed at the end of the 1990s through a deal between the American Space Company, named, Space Adventure Limited, and the Russian Company, named, MirCorp[1]. MirCorp which was a private venture to generate the income for ageing space station maintenance decided to sell a trip to Mir and Tito became the first paying traveller.
However, before Tito could experience the space travel to Mir, the decision was taken to deorbit the trip to Mir and the mission was diverted to International Space Station (ISS) after the interference of the American Company. Tito became the world’s first space tourist thereby paying $20 for the trip.
The Orbital space tourism experienced continuous growth following Tito’s mission by South African and a computer millionaire named Mark Shuttleworth[2] in 2002 and an American businessman named, Gregory Olsen in 2005[3]. Gradually, space tourism grew over time and there was an increase in the number of spaceflight participants. Since 2007, the aforesaid American company named, Space Adventures offered spaceflight around the moon on a spacecraft[4] named Soyuz for a fee of $100 million.
Suborbital Space Tourism-
After the industry of orbital space tourism gained popularity, many initiations were made in this direction by the other companies thereby developing suborbital vehicles. The suborbital vehicles were brought in to take tourists to an altitude of 100km/62miles and to make this industry a commercial profitable proposition[2]. The companies started competing for the Ansari X Prize (a $10 million reward by the X Prize Foundation)[3] which is to be given to the non-governmental organization that could launch a crewed spacecraft (reusable) within two weeks……………………………………. To Read Full Paper Click on the download button below.
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