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The 2000s in America

Space tourism

by Cait Caffrey

Definition: Commercial space travel meant for recreation

Space tourism, a notion once found only in the plots of science fiction books and movies, became increasingly possible with the rapid advances in space travel during the late twentieth century. At the dawn of the new millennium, the first space tourist was launched into orbit. Interest in commercial space travel grew and flights into space were available to those who could afford the high cost.

In 2001, American businessman Dennis Tito paid $20 million to travel into space to visit the International Space Station. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had many concerns about Tito’s trip, but eventually international space officials and the private space travel firm Space Adventures reached an agreement. On April 28, 2001, Tito became the first space tourist. Space Adventures subsequently launched several other paying individuals into space.

Space tourism is classified as either orbital or suborbital. Orbital space flights such as Tito’s trip travel high enough into space to achieve orbit around the Earth. Suborbital space flight does not travel as far, but simply ascends into space and then returns to Earth. Suborbital flight has been deemed the most marketable venture for the space tourism industry. Many suborbital flight projects were in the works by the end of the 1990s. In 2004, Virgin Mobile founder Richard Branson’s commercial space company, Virgin Galactic, began developing plans for suborbital passenger flights that reached sixty-two miles above Earth at a price of $200,000 per ticket.

Several wealthy entrepreneurs, recognizing the potential for orbital space travel, set about financing their own space tourism projects. Space X, a private space travel firm founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk, sought to revolutionize space travel by developing its own rockets, with an overall goal of transporting people to other planets. Plans for hotels in space were also being formulated. Robert Bigelow, founder of the hotel chain Budget Suites of America, began developing inflatable space habitats in early 2000. The first prototype, known as Genesis I, was launched in July of 2006. More advanced prototypes meant to accommodate humans followed.

Impact

Surveys have suggested that while the majority of the population would like to participate in space travel, the cost has limited participation to the wealthiest of people. Developers have expected the prices to fall as technology continues to advance. With that in mind, some companies have extended their tourism plans beyond Earth’s boundaries, starting with trips that would orbit the moon.

Further Reading

1 

McKinley, Jesse. “Space Tourism Is Here! Wealthy Adventurers Wanted.” New York Times. New York Times Co., 7 Sep. 2012. Web. 5 Dec. 2012.

2 

Thompson, Mark. “Bigelow’s Inflatable Space Stations.” SEN. Sen TV, 27 Aug. 2012. Web. 5 Dec. 2012.

3 

Wall, Mike. “First Space Tourist: How a US Millionaire Bought a Ticket to Orbit.” Space.com. TechMediaNetwork.com, 27 Apr. 2011. Web. 5 Dec. 2012.

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
Caffrey, Cait. "Space Tourism." The 2000s in America, edited by Craig Belanger, Salem Press, 2013. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=2000_0349.
APA 7th
Caffrey, C. (2013). Space tourism. In C. Belanger (Ed.), The 2000s in America. Salem Press.
CMOS 17th
Caffrey, Cait. "Space Tourism." Edited by Craig Belanger. The 2000s in America. Hackensack: Salem Press, 2013. Accessed September 18, 2025. online.salempress.com.