Space travel
"Space travel is returning to where it started: with maverick pioneers dreaming of journeys to orbit and beyond, some carrying out rocket experiments in their own backyards. The rise of citizen astronauts has already begun." — Arthur C. Clarke
The age of space tourism at long last dawns for a second time (the first dawn consisting of those orbital tourists launched by the Russian a while back).
Space tourists are different from astronauts; they go to space only for leisure, or recreational purposes, and not for any scientific research.
Since private individuals first started visiting the International Space Station in 2001 via the Space Adventures company, the dream of being able to travel into space for the masses is slowly becoming closer to reality. If space tourism is an ultimate dream for many, others are terrified of the consequences it may entail on us.
Pros (significance of space tourism)
• Space tourism will increase the commercial activity in the time of poor state of world economy.
• Space tourism will become a new area of commercial endeavour and give employment to thousands of people.
• It will renew interest in space exploration.
• It would also help in identifying potential hazards dangerous for our planet.
• Allows us to view humanity from a different angle rising above petty politics, conflicts, successes, failures and love-hate feelings.
• We may someday even discover life in some corner of universe and learn from it. Exploring the space may lead to some discovery which we cannot even imagine.
• We may someday find a place where humans can live. This will be of great help to already over populated Earth.
• Open a new avenue for adventure tourists and people who love thrill.
Cons
• Is the space outside the earth meant for humans? This is the first question that needs a proper answer.
• Space travel technology at the nascent stage can make entering space a dangerous venture. Space travelers are likely to get exposed to harmful radiations from the sun.
• Experimentation and unsuccessful ventures may cause an unnecessary waste of resources which is not just worth.
• Developing space programs and spacecrafts need a lot of money. That money can be utilized for alleviation of poverty. Thousands of hungry people can be fed using that money.
• Space tourism is meant for the super rich. For example, a single 2 ½ hour flight ticket in Virgin Galactic’s upcoming space ship costs $ 250,000.
• Several natural resources are wasted in flying the fuel guzzling rockets. It pollutes the atmosphere as well. Thus, space program is bad for our environment.
With the human ambition soaring to literally make the saying “The Sky is the Limit” a reality, a number of companies have come up in the commercial space travel sector, to help in the fulfillment of this motive. Many of them work with the support of NASA, and hence, can be considered reliable enough to entrust the realization of your dream to travel in space. The new generation spaceships will carry tourists to space and give them an opportunity to observe the terrestrial bodies from space and experience weightlessness. The charges to the tourists will of course be exorbitant, somewhere between $200,000 and $500,000, what is obviously sad.
It is just only few years for space tourism to take off in a full-fledged manner. Most importantly, tickets are already getting sold!