Space…the final frontier……

..for tourists

Space travel – a quick history

1986

2004

19611957

1981

1969

2001

Why go to space?

The view

Zero gravity

The experience

I don’t know what you could say about a day in which you have seen sixteen beautiful sunsets

Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit.

From 150 miles up all the problems of the world look small

From space you can’t see any borders

Space travel

• In 45 years only 400 people have been into space

• In 45 years aviation has grown to a $1 trillion per year business & at any time there are 1 million people flying in commercial aircraft

• Why the difference?

Space – the myths

It is a long way away

It is expensive to get to

To fly in space you have to be a “superhero”

Space myths- it is a long way away

It is 100 miles from anywhere

You can be there in 8 minutes

Space myths- expense

It is expensive because:

It was developed along military lines as a “battle ground” of the Cold War

The technology is not commercial – it is bespoke and thrown away after each use

Government space agencies, particular NASA, are self serving bureacracies which have a vested interest in spending more tax money and convincing everyone that space is “hard to do”

Space myths- you have to be a super hero to fly in space

The “astronaut myth” - astronauts are not super human

Passengers don’t have to be pilots!

You don’t have to be super-fit

Max g-load is 3.5g but could be lower with different vehicles

After 8 minutes you are in zero-g

John Glenn

1st American in orbit – 1962

Flew on Space Shuttle – 1998 - aged 77

Denis Tito

1st space tourist

Flew on Soyuz & ISS – 2001 – aged 60

Space – the myths refuted

It is a long way away

IT IS ONLY A HUNDRED MILES FROM ANYWHERE

It is expensive to get to

IT IS EXPENSIVE WHEN IT IS DONE BY GOVERNMENTS

To fly in space you have to be a “superhero”

ORDINARY PEOPLE CAN GO AS PASSENGERS

Who wants to go?

Market research shows a large proportion of the population want to go

Why?

Growth in “experience” travel

People have seen much of the world – now want experiences

NB

40 years ago going abroad was unusual (except military)

20 years ago going long haul was unusual

The development of space tourism

Stage 1 – space related tourism

Stage 2 – sub-orbital

Stage 3 – orbital

Stage 4 – beyond orbit

Here now

Within 3 to 5 years

Here now – mass market 15 years

25 to 50 years

Space related tourism

Zero g flights

Flights to the edge of space in Mig 25

Space training

Zero Gravity experience flight

Mig-25 flight;

80,000 feet, 1,560 mph

Sub-orbital space flight

Flight into space – above 62 miles high

Five minutes of zero gravity

Great view

Coming to an airport near you soon!

SpaceShipOne – first private space flight 21st June 2004

Winner of the X-Prize

SpaceShipTwo to be flying within 3 years with passengers – funded by Richard Branson

Space hotels

All the facilities of cruise ships with zero-g and the view!

Go & stay 2 weeks in orbit

Space tourism

Is possible for ordinary people

Has a market – people want to go

Will be a major industry of the 21st century

Is nearer than you think!

Thank you for listening!