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This Is How Many People Would Choose to Travel to Space With Elon Musk

The space tourism industry is still in its infancy, but there's an increasing interest in traveling beyond our skies. Companies like SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, and Blue Origin are already racing to make private spaceflight more accessible. After all, a trip to space is surely a life-changing experience, especially if you were to make a stop on the Moon or, who knows, maybe Mars in the future.
SpaceX Starship 6 photos
Photo: SpaceX
SpaceX Starship flight animationSpaceX Starship flight animationSpaceX Starship flight animationSpaceX Starship flight animationSpaceX Mars colony
2021 was an exceptional year for space tourism. Last year, Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin conducted their first tourist-focused missions, sending different people on suborbital space flights where they could experience the feeling of weightlessness. And that's not all.

While the two were aiming for the "edge of space," which is defined by the so-called Kármán line that is located at an altitude of 62 miles (100 km), SpaceX was playing in the orbital arena. Elon Musk's company launched Inspiration4, the world's first all-civilian mission to low earth orbit, which took a crew of four on a three-day trip around our planet.

And this only seems to be the beginning. There are many projects meant to attract space tourists. A few examples include a hotel that would orbit Earth, a commercial space station and balloon rides to the edge of space. Although it's true that not everyone loves the idea of space tourism, there's no doubt that there are people who are definitely excited by the emerging market.

SpaceX Starship flight animation
Photo: SpaceX
According to a survey conducted by VacationRenter, 47% of people think that this industry will be accessible to the masses by the end of the decade, not just the rich. Let's face it, at the moment, only those with a very deep pocket can hitch a ride to space. To fly with Virgin Galactic, tourists have to dig for about $450,000. That's beyond most people's budget.

But one can dream of an exclusive vacation on the Moon. VacationRenter surveyed 1,002 Americans. 20.5% of them were Baby Boomers, 24.6% were Gen X-ers, 32.9% were Millennials, and 22% were Gen Z-ers. According to their survey, most Gen X-ers would spend $74,000 to leave our skies, but Gen Z-ers would only pay up to $41,000.

Elon Musk said that a ticket to Mars could one day cost less than $100,000, "low enough that most people in advanced economies could sell their home on Earth and move to Mars if they want." And maybe if Musk himself would go on these trips, more people would want to try it out.

More than half of the people surveyed thought it would be interesting to see celebrities in space. In fact, about two in five people would want to travel to space with Musk, and one in three would choose Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic. This doesn't come as a surprise since SpaceX has under its belt several incredible milestones.

SpaceX Starship flight animation
Photo: SpaceX
Plus, it shows that, for many, the sky is not the limit. Traveling to other celestial bodies might soon be a reality, not just something that belongs in sci-fi writings or movies. NASA has already set its plan in motion to establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface.

Currently, the agency's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are waiting on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center. Once the rocket blasts off into space with the capsule, NASA will officially kickstart the Artemis program, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon in 2025. It will also create an infrastructure in the lunar orbit with the Gateway space station. As a result, frequent visits to the Moon will be cost-effective.

There are many people who consider space tourism to be an inevitable step in human exploration. Naturally, some also believe space travel to be a waste of resources. What do you think? Would you pack your bags for a multi-day vacation in space if you had the funds for it? Or do you prefer Earthly vacations?
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Editor's note: Gallery shows SpaceX animation of Starship and includes images of SpaceX Mars mega-colony.

About the author: Florina Spînu
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Florina taught herself how to drive in a Daewoo Tico (a rebadged Suzuki Alto kei car) but her first "real car" was a VW Golf. When she’s not writing about cars, drones or aircraft, Florina likes to read anything related to space exploration and take pictures in the middle of nature.
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