Tag: anna hazlett

Space tourism has soared in recent years, enjoyed by a limited number of niche individuals. The rest of us stand with our feet firmly planted on the Earth’s surface. But imagine a future where the answer to the question of your next vacation destination could be “Earth’s low orbit.”

It may seem like science fiction, or at least something that might happen many years from now, but space tourism isn’t new.

The Russians did it first in 2001, taking American millionaire Dennis Tito for a week stay on the International Space Station. U.S. space tourism company Space Adventures worked in partnership with Russian space agency Roscosmos to make it happen.

According to Tito, the flight and stay, for the bargain price of U.S.$20 million, was well worth it: “I was euphoric. I mean, it was the greatest moment of my life, to achieve a life objective, and I knew then that nothing could ever beat this,” he told CNN.

The entire venture stemmed from a life-long dream and Roscosmos’ need for a cash injection. The Russian space agency sent six travelers into space in the 2000s, but after it added more cosmonauts to longer missions aboard the space station, tourist trips were canceled.

The ISS was fully booked.

But it’s not government agencies having all the fun.

“We’re seeing more countries looking to develop their own human spaceflight programs,” says Anna Hazlett, founder and principal of AzurX, an advisory and investment company for private commercial entities aiming to take clients to space.

Private companies are taking the reins and creating opportunities for those who have the courage to travel to space. And the money.

More: Who is an astronaut? Definitions matter

According to Hazlett, there are a variety of options for private space tourists ranging from a slow and low scenic balloon ascent to a short, speedy rocket ride — or even an orbital experience in the International Space Station.

U.S. company Space Perspective is one of several companies offering a relaxing ride to the heavens. Its balloon is 700 feet tall and can travel up to 30 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. Patrons spend two hours climbing, two hours observing and two hours slowly returning to Earth. For the price-point of U.S.$125,000, the first ride is set for the end of 2024.

Companies like Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin offer the quick suborbital flights. But while Virgin Galactic has struggled to get its planes in the air, front runner Blue Origin flew 31 space travelers between 2021 and 2022.

And then there’s the ultimate orbital experience of a stay on the ISS. SpaceX, in 2022, flew three tourists to the ISS for a 10- day stay for U.S.$55 million each. The price, however, included meals.

But Hazlett believes one day there will be affordable options for those who aren’t uber wealthy. This may not be a visit to a Jeff Bezos Low Earth hotel, but at a point in the future, they may get to enjoy some level of space travel experience. If you want the astronaut moniker, however, you’re going to have to go the distance.

Only those who travel past the Karmen Line, the internationally recognized border crossing between Earth and space, will get the astronaut title upon return to Earth. The line is about 100 kilometers above sea level and is considered to be the beginning of space.

Either way, if you spend a small or large fortune, depending on your personal perspective, the astronaut title would be one for your resumé. But if the Karmen Line is beyond your budget, you may want to opt for one of the other experiences accessible to only 1 percent of the Earth’s population.

While the media is focused on the key players in space tourism like Blue Origin and Space Perspective, AzurX is ironing out its business growth.

Hazlett says the company is responsible for “anything ranging from policy and strategy development through market strategies, implementation of those strategies, business development and sales. We’re essentially the arm of our clients or partners. We do a range of commercial activities for a portfolio of space and satellite companies.”

So, if you’re looking to set up a launchpad in a specific country, they could be your mission control.

Hazlett is hopeful all the space-tourism options previously mentioned, among others, will round out the UAE’s space-tourism program — making it all encompassing — and is excited at what the program might look like. One thing she is certain about — it will offer continuity of Dubai’s tourism and all of the luxuries that befit the UAE brand, she says.

From luxury accommodations to an astronaut training center, to a venue in which family and friends of a space tourist can visit and get a taste of what their loved one might experience — the plans are out of this world.

Additionally, with the International Space Station due to be decommissioned in 2030, private companies are looking to create new and exciting low-Earth orbit lodgings for space tourists. As more destination spots pop up, and the volume of this segment of the market grows, the demand should drive the cost down, Hazlett says.

The director of Khalifa University’s Space and Planetary Science Center is also optimistic about what the future holds for space tourism: “We have seen with other ventures in history how the cost can come down markedly once a market opens up and demand rises leading to competition,” Mohamed Ramy El-Maarry says. “One only needs to look at the history of commercial flight. Competing for customers would eventually drive the cost down, so I am optimistic that once the space tourism garners enough interest, we could see more affordable options.”

Future Market Insights estimates the space tourism market will reach  U.S. $13.2 billion by 2033.