THE TAKE OFF OF SPACE TOURISM

Since the first space flights from the Cold War, the space industry was dominated by international agencies such as NASA for professional astronauts.

However, since the 21th century, the development of rockets brought interests for private companies and Tourism Industry.

The space tourism site “Spaceport America” has investigated for flight tours targeting very rich people in order to innovate and exploit the “New Space Industry”.

Virgin Galactic, a spin off from Richard Branson’s Virgin group, is building a new copy of the Space Ship Two (SS2) and invested in the last technology to ensure safety and best experience for passengers.

Regarding the space travel, SS2 will light its hybrid rocket engine and zoom to an altitude of more than 100 kilometres, where passengers will experience “Several minutes” of weightlessness before strapping back into their seats for the ride back to Earth.

For the moment, trips will be limited to people who are both wealthy and healthy, but as Space Tourism grows the experience will be affordable by the broad middle class. In 50 years, thanks to the advanced technology of spaceships, travelling in the space will look like visiting neighbours areas.

Human space flights is no longer hold by the only governments and private sectors are already sharing the cake. Investments brings by the private sectors surely bump the human spaceflights industry however risk management will definitely be impacted by all the money which have been invested in those projects. "Private individuals are willing to take risks that government [agencies] can't take," explained Howard McCurdy, a space historian and professor of public affairs at American University in Washington, D.C (T.Malik, 2004).

The real question that people should ask themselves is how much they are ready to pay for a joy space ride? 

An artist's concept of Spaceport America, a suborbital spaceport under construction in New Mexico.

Credit: Spaceport America Conceptual Images URS/Foster + Partners

Sources :

 http://www.space.com/19258-spaceport-america.html#sthash.hCosBc5W.dpuf

Reference: Spaceport America: Space Tourism Launch Site

By Elizabeth Howell, Space.com Contributor | March 21, 2016 10:57pm ET

http://observer.com/2015/09/2016-could-be-the-year-space-tourism-takes-off/

Tarik Malik, Going Private: the Promise and Danger of Space Travel, 2004 retrieved from http://www.space.com/386-private-promise-danger-space-travel.html