Space Tourism

Space engineers are now interested in developing cheaper launch systems for satellites and space tourists. One possi­bility is a space elevator. This idea, basi­cally a giant tower reaching into space, was first put forward by the Russian sci­entist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was later described by the science fiction writer, Arthur C. Clarke. The space eleva­tor would consist of a tower, some 31 miles (50 kilometers) high, with a cable

C NASA’s Advanced Projects Office has put together plans for a space elevator, an idea that has previously been explored only in science fiction.

linking the top of the tower to an orbital space station. Passengers and cargo pay­loads would be transported into space along magnetic tracks fixed to the cable, riding in magnetically levitated (or maglev) vehicles.

Away from the billion-dollar nation­al and international space programs, individuals are planning space tourism in privately sponsored spacecraft. The pioneer in this field of spaceflight was SpaceShipOne, first flown in June 2004.

Such opportunities will increase the popularity of space tourism.