In 1969 NASA succeed in bringing astronauts to the Moon. As a result, many were convinced that someday space tourism would become a reality. This is because the successful mission was evidence that man can conquer outer space. When the NASA mission demonstrated its capability to break away from the pull of Earth’s gravity many saw the possibility of space tourism. In the 21st century, the ability to innovate and discover new things fueled the ever-popular idea that someday space is accessible to ordinary human beings. Many believed that space tourism is indeed possible. But using Inayatullah’s model to predict the future, one could argue that space tourism is not yet possible.
It is easy to understand why space tourism is such an important topic. There are many thrill-seekers on Earth and they want more than the customary roller coaster ride. They dream that someday ordinary mortals can also travel to the Moon and beyond. This is space tourism. It is also easy to understand why the dream to travel like astronauts is still alive. Consider for instance the number of rich people that are willing to pay a hefty price just so they can travel outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
If rich people today are willing to pay a great deal of money to bring them to the top of Mt. Everest, then these same people are not going to let any minor hindrance from stopping them to experience the ultimate ride (Aramberri & Butler, 2005, p.245). However, using Inayatullah’s model in future studies one can see that the pull forward is the mental image of the future (Inayatullah, 2003, p.35). However, the weight of the present reality can easily weigh down any space tourism program.
One of the major problems of space tourism is the fact that human bodies cannot adapt quickly in outer space as it does on Earth. High altitudes and extreme weather within the Earth’s atmosphere can be dealt with. Outer space on the other hand is different. There are forces out there that can easily destroy human life (Pelt, 2005, p.37). For instance, a small problem on Earth can be a major catastrophe in an environment that has no gravity.
Take a closer look at the idea of space weather and according to the U.S. Department of Defense, it is defined as “adverse conditions on the sun, the solar wind, and in the Earth’s magnetosphere, the ionosphere, and the thermosphere” (Goodman, 2005, p. 2). Aside from that, there are other factors that “can influence the performance and reliability of space-borne and ground-based technological systems and can endanger human life or health” (Ondoh & Marubashi, 2001, p. viii). Although many are optimistic space travel is not going to be a reality shortly.
Using Inayatullah’s triangle one can understand why many are optimistic when it comes to space tourism. This is exacerbated by the fact that people can imagine what is possible based on what is known today. However, using the same model of predicting the future, one can also see reality. There are problems that at this point are insurmountable. The safety of space tourists cannot be assured. Thus, space tourism is not going to happen in the next few decades.
References
Aramberri, J. & R. Butler. (2005). Tourism Development: Issues for a Vulnerable Industry. New York: Channel View Publications.
Goodman, J. (2005). Space Weather & Telecommunications. New York: Springer.
Inayatullah, S. (2003). Teaching futures studies. Journal of Futures Studies, 7(3), 35-40.
Ondoh, T. & K. Marubashi (2001). Science of Space Environment. VA: IOS Press, Inc.
Pelt, V. (2005). Space Tourism: Adventure in Earth’s Orbit and Beyond. New York: Copernicus Books.