Why Space Tourism Will Succeed

Space tourism will succeed because of two simple reasons:

1. Floating in space is fun; it’s freedom. It’s easy and it makes you feel powerful. That pesky force of gravity is gone, leaving you with plenty of energy to direct elsewhere. There are few limits on the human body when it is in space. I was able to do most Olympic gymnastics moves with a few bars attached to the walls of the international space station. A few minutes of practicing spins, tucks, and dives, and I felt like a gold medal winner. I ran circles around the inside rim of a cylindrical module, laughing and wishing my family was with me. I pushed myself down tunnels, creating games and challenges like rotating the distance without touching the walls. Add a softball to the routine, and you can use your imagination to create the competitive games of the future! I often thought of my grandmother who had so much trouble, fighting against gravity, just getting out of her chair or her car: in space she could have done everything!

2. Looking at the Earth from space: It is SO beautiful! Imagine yourself in a spaceship, looking at the planet Earth rotating below you. Put your face up against the window, arch your back, and stretch out your arms. As you fly over oceans, deserts, mountains, and clouds, you feel like a Greek god viewing your planet. You see the curvature of the Earth, the electric flashes of random thunderstorms, and the thin film of air stuck to the surface. Think of all the people living below you. Think of all the history that took place over the centuries on our planet. Mind boggling....

You could come up with a third reason and say it will put you in a very selective group that has experienced something very special. You know something that other people don’t quite understand. This may not be appealing to everyone, but will motivate some people to rush to be one of the earliest tourists in space. A benefit of going as a tourist, vs. as a professional astronaut, is the amount of time you will have to just be yourself. A professional astronaut is under much pressure to complete the mission, on time and without mistakes. This caused me to be very careful, check and recheck my actions, and spend less time in creative events, like looking out the window while recording my ideas and emotions. If I ever return to space someday, I hope to enjoy the experience in a different way; a way I was not able to fully experience as a shuttle pilot and commander.

I want to add a disclaimer: I am not working with any of the companies involved in space tourism: I just believe in the inspiration that space travel instills in an individual. I hope you get the chance to go someday!!!

Photo: NASA