A Roadmap for Suborbital Commercial Passenger Spaceflight

Abstract

Abstract If we consider space tourism as a first step toward regular passenger space transport, it is important to evaluate from the start onward the systematic steps that will lead to such new commercial endeavors based upon product-life-cycle concepts. To build up reliability and technological readiness, a four-step approach is suggested. In parallel with commercial air transportation, space tourism is considered as a first step. Payload transfer, using similar suborbital vehicles, seems a natural extension as a second step. For the third step, cargo transport on a point-to-point (P2P) basis is assumed to be a logical extension. Finally, on the basis of the acquired experience, commercial P2P transport of passengers is considered as the fourth step. This, in parallel with air transport, is considered to lead to a new economic sector. To illustrate this possible evolution, a related timeline is suggested in this article.