|
ho hasn't dreamed of traveling in space? It is no longer a matter of science fiction: two tourists, first Dennis Tito in 2001, and then, Marc Shuttleworth, have already gone into space. The second, a 28-year old, South African billionaire, bought himself a ten days trip aboard Soyuz. The dream is becoming reality, or so believe certain American and Japanese companies preparing new kinds of journeys. The Space Adventure Company, for example, thinks it can send its first passengers in space by 2005. For $127,000, Space Adventure will offer two hours of weightless flight in orbit. The construction of space hotels is made easier by the absence of gravity. NASA is working on the elaboration of flexible bungalows. The Hilton Group is also examining the question. The Shimizu Company hopes to build a hotel in the shape of a wheel, containing bars, karaoké and a swimming pool. Sixty guests could stay some 280 miles above our planet.
 |
Mark
Shuttleworth |
Unfortunately obstacles remaine unmistakably real and will take years to resolve. Rocket boosters, virtually "flying bombs", still lack reliability, and enormous investments will be required to build a new generation of boosters before mass tourism becomes possible. Furthermore, the mental and physical preparation of the participants can not be underestimated, the necessary training being estimated at six months for a week in space.
|
It is also necessary to consider human constraints such as minimal volume, hygiene conditions and day to day life. Not to mention the price of such a journey: a mere $26.5 million! Finally, even tiny spatial fragments can pierce the most robust armour plating, as occurs on the sun panels of the Mir station. Even with increasingly accurate radars on the ground, it is difficult to avoid collisions in orbit.
Mass
tourism in space
before 2080?
Our
imaginations run wild, but let's come down to Earth: space
tourism will evolve in the years to come, but it is not
for the near future. According to the AAAF, the French
equivalent of NASA, not before 2080 – the time necessary
to build adequate boosters – can mass tourism in space be
envisaged.
Nevertheless,
space journeys would be a way to lower costs of space
technology. Since the growth of one branch supports the
growth of others, the market should develop quickly. Orbital
tourism could begin by visits of the space centres of
the world and flights on cutting-edge and parabolic aircraft.
The next phase would then be the first flights in extra-atmospheric
space for a few hours, aboard one of two future spacecraft:
Kawasaki's Kanku Maru and the Space Cruiser System by
the Space Adventure Company. Longer flights would also
be possible in an orbiting space station hotel. That presupposes
a space station and a booster to transport passengers
there, which for the time being are still but a dream.
Stéphanie
Jaffré
© 2002
|
