8 votes

Can tourism propel space exploration to new heights?

8 comments

  1. Neverland
    Link
    I really hope space tourism takes off. The reason being that The Overview Effect has turned some hardened ex-military astronauts into “we all live on one small fragile rock” sounding hippies. We...

    I really hope space tourism takes off. The reason being that The Overview Effect has turned some hardened ex-military astronauts into “we all live on one small fragile rock” sounding hippies. We could really use more of that in the ruling class, who are the only people that will be able to afford the experience. If we get more rich folks up into orbit, they might be more likely to put their money into environmental causes, which will benefit people of all income levels.

    The overview effect is a cognitive shift in awareness reported by some astronauts during spaceflight, often while viewing the Earth from orbit or from the lunar surface.

    5 votes
  2. [7]
    nsz
    Link
    Yeah probably not anytime soon, one billion dollars is kind of expensive - finding that mix of crazy adventurous spirit and shit loads of money is probably too rare to found an industry on.

    (…) Dr. Autry guesses it [how much Maezawa is paying SpaceX for the flight] could be around $1 billion.

    Yeah probably not anytime soon, one billion dollars is kind of expensive - finding that mix of crazy adventurous spirit and shit loads of money is probably too rare to found an industry on.

    2 votes
    1. [3]
      CALICO
      Link Parent
      The very first commercial flight in 1914 went 18 miles, lasted 23 minutes, and cost the equivalent of $10k USD when adjusting for inflation. I can buy a last minute ticket and be on a flight from...

      The very first commercial flight in 1914 went 18 miles, lasted 23 minutes, and cost the equivalent of $10k USD when adjusting for inflation.

      I can buy a last minute ticket and be on a flight from DC to Paris tonight for $1k.

      2 votes
      1. [2]
        nsz
        Link Parent
        What so I have to wait 100 years?! But really I do agree with you it will probably become a lot cheaper. I just sometimes feel the need to push back against hype.

        What so I have to wait 100 years?! But really I do agree with you it will probably become a lot cheaper. I just sometimes feel the need to push back against hype.

        2 votes
        1. CALICO
          Link Parent
          Well one of the goals of BFR is to conduct Earth–Earth flights as well. If they can make that work—without freaking out every world power by looking exactly like an ICBM launch—it could bring in...

          Well one of the goals of BFR is to conduct Earth–Earth flights as well. If they can make that work—without freaking out every world power by looking exactly like an ICBM launch—it could bring in revenue to bring down the cost of extra-planetary flights a bit. Satellite contracts and the like could do similar.

          I allow myself to fully immerse in the hype. Elons projects set the bar so incredibly high, that when they inevitably fall short, it's still something absolutely amazing. Plus, it gets other company's into motion as well to compete, further driving forth progress.

          2 votes
    2. [2]
      NeoTheFox
      Link Parent
      Globally that could be a thing, and then once the technology and the protocols evolve you'll be able to sent more than 1 person at once, so first it's 1 billion, then 1 million, and then who knows...

      Globally that could be a thing, and then once the technology and the protocols evolve you'll be able to sent more than 1 person at once, so first it's 1 billion, then 1 million, and then who knows how low you could make it.

      1. nsz
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        Yeah here's hoping they can drop the per kilo cost enough, at some point it will just becomes a physical limitation - 9000 km/s of delta v is gonna costs a lot of energy no matter how advanced the...

        Yeah here's hoping they can drop the per kilo cost enough, at some point it will just becomes a physical limitation - 9000 km/s of delta v is gonna costs a lot of energy no matter how advanced the rocket. Like modern processors where trace size can't de reduced any more and a radical change in technology is required.

        1 vote
    3. spctrvl
      Link Parent
      The cost is only that high because he's also funding the development of the rocket. If full reusability pans out as well as spacex hopes, future launches could cost under 5 million apiece.

      The cost is only that high because he's also funding the development of the rocket. If full reusability pans out as well as spacex hopes, future launches could cost under 5 million apiece.