Space is just another place where humans are going to live. And because space is almost limitless humans are going to live there in vast numbers in the future - in other words, it will become a whole new habitat.
Today most activities in space are government ones because getting to and from space is so expensive. Once travel to and from orbit is cheap enough, as on Earth, most activities in space will be carried out by individuals, private companies and organizations. At that time space activities will involve almost every industry - not just the aerospace industry but construction and interior design, catering and drinks, fashion and music, sports and entertainment, advertising and law, to name just a few.
Obviously, if people are going to live in space, they are going to need somewhere to live. Hotels are all very well for tourists, but workers will have more practical needs for their permanent accommodation - being close to work for one.
Living in space for long periods of time, or even permanently, is far more serious a prospect than merely staying for a few days or weeks. Much research in space today concerns the effect on the body of living in weightlessness or "zero gravity" for long periods. While this isn't a concern for tourists (we already know that living in zero G for a few weeks has no harmful effects) the long-term effects of low gravity have both benefits and drawbacks to health.
- 29 July 2012
- Added "Space Debris and Its Mitigation
" to the archive.
- 16 July 2012
- Space Future has been on something of a hiatus of late. With the concept of Space Tourism steadily increasing in acceptance, and the advances of commercial space, much of our purpose could be said to be achieved. But this industry is still nascent, and there's much to do. So...watch this space.
- 9 December 2010
- Updated "What the Growth of a Space Tourism Industry Could Contribute to Employment, Economic Growth, Environmental Protection, Education, Culture and World Peace
- 7 December 2008
- "What the Growth of a Space Tourism Industry Could Contribute to Employment, Economic Growth, Environmental Protection, Education, Culture and World Peace
- 30 November 2008
- Added Lynx
to the Vehicle Designs page.
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More Info
- SRI holds Inaugural Conference
- Why NASA Has Never Cooked in Space
- A Cookbook for the Weightless
- Astronaut Centrifuge Training
- Obama's Vision for NASA Veers Off-Course
- US Updates Space Policy
- Mission to Mars (Sort Of)
- Where Next for Space - The Asimov Debate
- The Day the Moon Changed
- Teachers in Space
- How Much Do You Know About Space
- Space Future Editor Wins NewSpace Journalism Award
- China's First Manned Docking of Space Module Is a Success
- Five Horrifying Facts
- NASA Will Pay You to Eat Astronaut Food
- Attention Teachers: If You Don't Apply to This Workshop
- Space Is Dirty
- The Film That NASA Banned
- SRI holds Inaugural Conference
- Zubrin's Proposal to Fund "Pathway to the Stars"
Here are some key documents from the archive to get you started:
- What the Growth of a Space Tourism Industry Could Contribute to Employment, Economic Growth, Environmental Protection, Education, Culture and World Peace
- Space Tourism Market Demand and the Transportation Infrastructure
- General Public Space Travel and Tourism
- Artificial Gravity and the Architecture of Orbital Habitats
- Prospects of Space Tourism
More Documents
