Predictions
The book gives a rough timeline of predictions for the future of space tourism, based on analogy with the history of commercial aviation.
2000-2005: Pioneering- Using Spacecab a very low orbit two-stage reusable spaceplane to achieve a few hours of free fall. Cost per flight: 1,000,000 USD
2005-2020: Exclusive- Again using Spacecab for a longer space trip, possibly visiting ISS. Cost per flight: 100,000 USD
2020-2050: Mature- Transport now by second generation Spacebus with accommodation in a large space hotel. Cost per flight: 10,000 USD
2050-Onwards: Mass use, Cost per flight: less than 10,000 USD
It predicts that the first space tourist would have flown around the year 2000. This proved accurate when the multimillionaire Dennis Tito paid for a seat on a Soyuz spacecraft in 2001. In 2005 the third space tourist, Gregory Olsen, paid an estimated 20 million USD for his trip to the International Space Station.
Read more about this topic: Your Spaceflight Manual
Famous quotes containing the word predictions:
“The Brahmins say that in their books there are many predictions of times in which it will rain. But press those books as strongly as you can, you can not get out of them a drop of water. So you can not get out of all the books that contain the best precepts the smallest good deed.”
—Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910)