Space Tourism is a developing industry in which private citizens are transported from the surface of the Earth on flights into space.
To date such services have been available only through national space agencies, and the costs involved have been in the millions of dollars.
However private companies such as Virgin Galactic are developing reusable craft to enable short trips into space at much lower cost. These craft are also intended for use in launching satellites and other missions.
Most of those who have travelled into space at their own expense dislike the term "space tourism", pointing out that they undertook serious scientific work while on their journeys.
In June 2009, work began on Spaceport America, in New Mexico. This will be the launch site for several of the new space tourism companies.
First Space Tourists
References
Fast Facts
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First space tourist
Dennis Tito, a multi-millionaire from California
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Fact:
Pioneered by the Russian Space Agency
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Fact:
Passengers would ride aboard a Russian rocket and stay in the International Space Station
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Cost for trip
$20 million
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Private companies such as Virgin Galactic and XCOR Aerospace are developing suborbital passenger craft
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Fact:
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Average cost for commercial flight into space
$200,000
