Space Tourism

                 Space tourism is a term used to describe the exploration of space travel just for leisure, recreation or business. Presently, there are many companies involved in the business since it seems very lucrative. They have emerged with the increasing trends in space travel. These companies include Virgin Galactic, Orbital and Russian Space Agency providing relatively affordable space transportation currently. The other two companies mentioned in this report are either very expensive or not fully equipped with the resources for safe space transportation (Manber, 2009).               

                 During 2010 Russia stopped space tourism. This country experienced an increase in the International Space station crew which did not allow space for passengers. The seats were preferably used for expeditions by crew members and not leisure as many tourists would want to enjoy. These expedition crews, however, paid the full fare as space flight participants. These flights were expected to resume in 2013. By this time the Russian company hopes to provide many more single-use three-person Soyu launches. They are promising increases in the business projected for the next 5- 10 years (Manber, 2009).          

         Globalization and social change have forced business as well as millionaires to think outside the box. The space tourism is one such adventure when people want to move outside of earth into the galaxies exploring the grandeur of others worlds. There have been speculations that people live on other planets. Space tourism concept and companies involved in the business offer opportunities to the rich who can pay for this service to explore these features of life for pleasure at their leisure (Knight, 2002).                  

            Many companies were prompted to enter into the business after the immense successes in space exploration whereby man landed on the moon. Much research was conducted into space tourism opportunities before the first tourists landed in space. However, some companies/organizations do not want to use the term tourism. Instead they refer to the phenomena as personal space flight. Commercial Spaceflight Federation is one company that has adapted this alternative terminology for space tourism. A Citizen in Space project has also utilized an alternative to the word tourism, citizens’ space exploration (Stenovec, 2012).              

                The cost advertised for flights brokered by Space Adventures to the International Space Station on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft is in the range of US $20–40 million. This cost was the going rate between the years 2001–2009.  The business has become so successful that many space tourists have entered contracts with third party entities for the purpose of research while enjoying their space ecstasy. From an ethical standpoint space tourism seems to highlight another disparity within the global society (Lander, 2012).

           When the cost is evaluated how many people on earth can say they can visit other planets beginning with space tourism. With this enormous cost just the very rich can afford this price. Besides, just as how on earth man has upset the delicate balances of nature through pollution; cutting down the forest and destroying important wild life, which is much needed today; in my opinion after billions shave been accrued from this project, then someone will discover the danger that space tourism is bringing to earth.

               Is it ethical to destroy the earth's environment just to please a few rich people who do not really care what affects the poor people on earth.  More importantly, a study that was viewed from in the Geophysical Research Letters forged space tourism criticisms. Precisely, it revealed that with the situation of global warming industries promoting space tourism have the potential to worsen this situation as one which disturbs the balance of nature. Aerospace Corporation financed the research. One thousands suborbital hybrid rockets were launched from one place. Their calculation revealed that an estimated six hundred tons of black carbon could be delivered into the stratosphere form these activities. With ozone layer disturbances the ethical implications of space tourism should be further investigated in terms of the survival of people on earth (Lander, 2012).

               My position on space tourism is quite clear. If the majority will suffer due to the lack of consideration of the few rich people in our society then space tourism should be stopped immediately. However the global culture is one in which the poor are helpless and remain that way until they are almost destroyed. My point of view has not emerged from envy since it is impossible for me to go on a space flight due to finances.

             Ethical positions concerning the poor and helpless must be understood. Always the rich prosper at the expense of the poor. Just as how colonialism developed Europe, in the same way space tourism will enrich Russian companies that are becoming increasingly rich from this venture. The World Health Organization ought to expend dollars on research using some of these rich space tourist resources for funding to identify the real impacts of this practice on the health of humans still living on earth.

References

Lander, S. (June 20, 2012). Fly me to the moon! Company offers lunar holidays (but it

             could cost you £100 million). The Daily Mail

Manber, J. (2009). Selling Peace: Inside the Soviet Conspiracy That Transformed the U.S. Space

                    Program. Burlington, Ont: Apogee

Knight, W. (April 20, 2002). "'Space tourist' insists on pioneering role". New Scientist.

Stenovec, T. (March 22, 2012). Space Tourism Expected To Be $1 Billion Industry Over

                  Next 10 Years, Says FAA.  Huffington Post.