Space tourism has come a long way from its beginnings in 2001. While the first space tourists paid $20 million for a trip, costs are decreasing significantly. Several companies are now offering suborbital flights for $200,000-250,000, bringing the cost down 99% from early trips. Virgin Galactic has over 340 customers signed up already. With continued development of reliable and reusable launch systems, costs are predicted to drop to $20,000 per trip within the next decade. In the next 10-15 years, the author predicts that space tourism will become as common as international vacations, with point-to-point space travel times under 2 hours. Major players like Boeing, SpaceX, and Bigelow

1. Space TourismThe past, the present and the future ofJonathan WeltmanCEO – TSG Tourism Services Group8 October 2010 – SASA Conference

2. The Past30 April 2001 Space became a Tourism DestinationST1 - Dennis Tito aboard a Soyuz capsule launched by Space Adventures$20 million price tag7 day return trip Stayed at the ungraded International Space Station (no swimming pool or room service)Apparently the service was poor (Tito was considered a Cosmonaut and not an Astronaut thus the yanks on ISS were less than friendly)All inclusive – bed, breakfast, lunch, dinner, oxygen & Spacesuit (Tips not included )

3. The PastBetween 2001 and 2007, 4 more Space Tourists – all at a $20 million price tagST2 Mark ShuttleworthST3 Greg OlsonST4 AnoushehAnsariST5 Charles SimonyiSome argue that John Glenn was ST1 aboard Discovery in 1998

4. The PastIn 1997, NASA published a report concluding that selling trips to space to private citizens could be worth billions of dollars.A Japanese report supports these findings, and projects that space tourism could be a $10 billion per year industry within the two decades. The only obstacles to opening up space to tourists are the space agencies, who are concerned with safety and the development of a reliable, reusable launch vehicle.

5. The PresentKey Sectors for Space TourismTransportation (Rockets, Capsules and Planes)Accommodation (Hotels and Habitats)EntertainmentSpace WalksSight SeeingSports?SpaceportsTrainingZero GSpaceport AmericaSpace Diving

6. The PresentSeveral Commercial Companies have been / still are involved in preparation for a burgeoning Space Tourism market:Armadillo AerospaceSuborbital SpacecraftSpace DevDream Chaser – Jim Benson designer passed awayBlue OriginNew Shepard - Manned Rocket Jeff Bezos (Amazon.com)Dream ChaserNew Shepard

7. The PresentConstellation Services InternationalLunar ExpressEADS AstriumSpace PlaneBoeing CST-100 CapsulePlanet SpaceCanadian Arrow RocketBigelowSundancer Space HotelSpace IslandSpace Hotel DesignsAstriumSundancer Hotel

8. The PresentRocketPlane XPSub-Orbital flights offered at $250,000Virgin/Scaled CompositesVirgin Galactic - $200,000Space Adventures Only company that has fulfilled so far – current cost of the same package is now $30 - $40 millionSpace FleetSpace VehiclesSpaceXFalcon & Dragon Capsule – Elon Musk (Paypal)XCORSpace PlanesSpaceportsAmerica, Sweden, Dubai....RSA?RocketPlane

9. The FutureThe Average cost of a space package was $20 million (Now $30-$40 million for the same trip)Virgin, RocketPlane and others are selling Space trips from $200,000 (340 + booked on Virgin)Cost of going to space down 99% since 2009Virgin estimates that after 1,000 trips cost will come down to $20,000 – another 90% reductionBigelow is testing inflatable structures in Space right nowBoeing has announced entry by 2015Russians have announced a Space Hotel by 2016 (ISS without the science equipment)SpacePortAmerica runway will be commissioned on 22 October 2010Point to Point opportunities will abound (Xmas at the Ice Hotel, new years in Cape Town – travel time 2hrs)

10. My Prediction“Ten to Fifteen years from now going on holiday to Space will be as common place as going on holiday to Europe!”