A webconference on Space Tourism, in view of the 2021 Space Renaissance Congress “Civilian Space Development”

October 26th 2020, a first webconference took place on Space Tourism, in view of the 2021 Space Renaissance Congress (3rd SRI World Congress) “Civilian Space Development”.
The panel was composed by five of the best experts of the matter worldwide: Andreas Bergweiler (Germany), Patrick Collins (Japan), Sam Coniglio (US), Al Globus (US), Rino Russo (Italy).
Adriano Autino, SRI, President, moderated the meeting, proposing a number of questions, based on the concept that Space Tourism is the first step on the way of expanding civilization into outer space.

The questions:
1. Space Tourism is the only industrial branch, so far, taking care of civilian passengers transportation. So far ST was alone, facing this challenge.
2. What is the status of the art for suborbital space travel?
3. Will Virgin start commercial flights this year, or early next year?
4. Space Tourism mission requirements are mid-way between space exploration and space settlement. See the attached picture and my paper ‘Expand or Die’ where i discuss this issue. May we imagine an agenda of the transition among exploration, tourism, settlement?
5. Will ST alone succeed opening the space frontier to private enterprises and entrepreneurs?
6. Will it be desirable/possible any government aids, in the near future?
7. Two major players are joining the sector: Space X and Blue Origin, having bigger financial resources, wrt Virgin Galactic: should we expect big outcomes by them, in the next future?
8. And, of course, a side (cinic) question: are we having too big expectation, on space tourism, as the key sector for the opening of the high frontier?
See the complete videorecorded meeting on the Space Renaissance youtube channel.

Adriano Autino

Posted by Adriano