Why Space Tourism Is About To Boom
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin space flight company plans to double its commercial flights this year, with market competitors expected to follow, previewing a space tourism boom for the elite. Private space exploration companies have been launching spacecraft for years and have even bested government projects in that time. These private ventures have been so successful that the International Space Station, operational for more than two decades, is expected to be shut down before the end of this decade. Instead, NASA expects these private companies to offer more successful options. That might be because of the revenue these companies can bring in through space tourism missions.
Originally a concept reserved for movie screens, space tourism for civilians is attainable for the wealthy. Blue Origin's first spaceflight was a success, and the winning bid sold for a resounding $28 million. The price raised from $4.8 million to $28 million in just over six minutes, demonstrating the demand for space tourism experiences and the willingness of the rich and wealthy to fork up the high prices they require. Virgin Galactic is space tourism for the masses or is at least more affordable than its competitors. The company was selling tickets to space for 'just' $450,000 per seat and had an extensive waitlist of people ready to take up the offer.
Related: NASA Wants Robots To Build The Moonbase For $200 Million
A report by Space News confirmed that Blue Origin is planning to expand its commercial space missions, citing significant demand. "The market is robust, it's very robust," Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith said at the 24th Annual FAA Commercial Space Transportation Conference. "The challenge for Blue at this point is that we're actually
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