Suborbital Space Tourism Research Articles

Point-to-point suborbital space tourism motivation and willingness to fly

Suborbital space tourism is a catalyst for space industry revenue that could reach $1.1 billion by 2032. This study evaluated the influence of the four dimensions of Iso-Ahola's (1982) theory of tourism motivation on willingness to fly as a point-to-point suborbital space tourist. 870 participants responded to an online survey. The survey results were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The tourism dimensions of interpersonal seeking and personal seeking had the greatest influence on willingness to fly. The model explains 40% of the variance in willingness to fly. The results provide validated data for targeted marketing to potential point-to-point space tourists. The results of this study are a catalyst for future space tourism research.

Cardiovascular Effects of Cosmic Radiation and Microgravity.

Recent spaceflights involving nonprofessional people have opened the doors to the suborbital space tourism business. However, they have also drawn public attention to the safety and hazards associated with space travel. Unfortunately, space travel involves a myriad of health risks for people, ranging from DNA damage caused by radiation exposure to the hemodynamic changes that occur when living in microgravity. In fact, the primary pathogenetic role is attributed to cosmic radiation, since deep space lacks the protective benefit of Earth's magnetic shielding. The second risk factor for space-induced pathologies is microgravity, which may affect organ function and cause a different distribution of fluid inside the human body. Both cosmic radiation and microgravity may lead to the alteration of cellular homeostasis and molecular changes in cell function. These, in turn, might have a direct impact on heart function and structure. The aim of this review is to draw attention to the fact that spaceflights constitute a novel frontier in biomedical research. We summarize the most important clinical and experimental evidence regarding the cardiovascular effects of cosmic radiation and microgravity. Finally, we highlight that unraveling the mechanisms underlying how space radiation and microgravity affect the cardiovascular system is crucial for identifying potential countermeasures and developing effective therapeutic strategies.

Orbital and sub-orbital space tourism: motivation, constraint and artificial intelligence

Propósitoexiste una investigación limitada sobre el comportamiento de las diferentes categorías de turistas espaciales identificados por diferentes tipos de turismo espacial. Para abordar esta deficiencia, este trabajo examina qué factores hacen que los consumidores participen en el turismo espacial orbital y/o suborbital, junto con tres dimensiones de motivación, restricción e inteligencia artificial. Para lograr los objetivos del estudio, se desarrolló un modelo de investigación integral que incluía tres dimensiones de motivación intrínseca y extrínseca, restricción intrapersonal e interpersonal, y conocimiento y confianza en la inteligencia artificial, al comparar grupos de turismo espacial orbital y suborbital.Diseño/metodología/enfoquese realizó un cuestionario con los encuestados que querían participar en el turismo espacial orbital (n = 332) y suborbital (n = 332) en el futuro. Se utilizaron modelos de ecuaciones estructurales (SEM) de mínimos cuadrados parciales (PLS), análisis comparativo cualitativo de conjuntos borrosos (fsQCA), análisis multigrupo y aprendizaje profundo para comprender el comportamiento potencial del turista espacial.Hallazgosla motivación extrínseca tiene el mayor impacto positivo en la intención de comportamiento, seguida de la conciencia y la confianza en la inteligencia artificial, mientras que la restricción intrapersonal afecta negativamente la intención de comportamiento. Sorprendentemente, la restricción interpersonal es insignificante por PLS-SEM, pero sigue siendo una de las configuraciones causales suficientes por fsQCA. Curiosamente, los dos tipos de turismo espacial tienen características muy distintas.Originalidad/valoreste trabajo creó un modelo de investigación integral integral con tres dimensiones de motivación, restricción e inteligencia artificial, junto con posibles grupos de turistas espaciales orbitales y suborbitales para identificar el comportamiento futuro del consumidor. Es importante destacar que este estudio empleó métodos de análisis múltiple utilizando cuatro enfoques diferentes para arrojar mejor luz sobre los posibles turistas espaciales orbitales y suborbitales.

Space tourism needs a bioethical reboot.

Space tourism includes a medical ‘module’, which studies physiopsychic variables of these ‘tourists’. Therefore, before sub-orbiting the Earth, this type of space travel should orbit the ethical safeguards of research. Such a premise has, as far as Sub-orbital Space Tourism is concerned, three domains: subject bioethics, social bioethics, and eco-bioethics.

Space Tourism: An Initiative Pushing Limits

Since the launch of Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, in 1957, the number of participants in space activities has been growing rapidly. Although space tourism is in its infancy, it is estimated that the number of space tourists will increase significantly in the coming years. Space travel has inspired humanity in so many ways that humans are entering a new era where space will be accessible to the general public. Space giants such as SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, Orion Span and others are making new attempts to open a new page in the field of space activities by introducing the concept of space tourism to the public. In this article, a review is made on the determination of the goals of space tourism, the history of human space travel and thus the initiatives developed by different companies to make commercial space travel possible. In this article, the definition of Space tourism has been expanded into three subcategories: Sub-orbital space tourism, Orbital space tourism and Beyond Earth orbit Tourism, where companies such as SpaceX and Space Adventures Ltd push their limits.

A preliminary study on the potential spaceports for suborbital space tourism and intercontinental point-to-point transportation in Taiwan

Taiwan would not develop reusable suborbital launch vehicle (RSLV) for commercial suborbital space tourism (SST) and intercontinental point-to-point (IP2P) transportation industry. As such, although there are many issues need be considered, spaceport becomes one of the major indices for demonstrating Taiwan's infrastructures and readiness to go from aviation tourism to SST and IP2P due to its long leading time requirement (2–3 decades usually). Currently, there are 17 civic (single use) and civic and military (dual use) airports, of which 4 are civic and one is basically civic. In this paper, these 5 airports were studied and discussed on their potential to be extended to either single use spaceport or dual use air and spaceport from the aspects of area, busyness, required extension (minor or major), redesign and reconstruction requirements, and environmental reassessment requirements. For the 5 airports included in the considerations, the 4 airports Taoyuan, Kaohsiung, Songshan and Kinmen all need minor extensions for accommodating horizontal-takeoff-horizontal-landing (HTHL) RSLV. Only the Taoyuan and Kinmen airports are suitable for major extensions to also accommodate vertical-takeoff-vertical-landing (VTVL) RSLV after major extensions. The Hengchun Airport needs environmental reassessment, redesign and reconstruction due to its very local katabatic winds weather condition. However, it is also the only one suitable for extending to become a dedicated spaceport with HTHL and VTVL RSLVs accommodated. For comparison purpose, a new spaceport dedicated to SST and IP2P with the name to be determined (TBD) is proposed as an option. For the case of considering dedicated uses for SST and IP2P, then only Hengchun and TBD are the two remaining spaceport candidates.

How "Rad" Is a Trip to Space? A Brief Discussion of Radiation Exposure in Suborbital Space Tourism.

On Saturday, May 30, 2020, the way we think about space travel permanently changed. Commercial space travel is now a reality. With the first ever commercial crew space launch by SpaceX’s (Hawthorne, California) Crew Dragon, private enterprise now has the ability to take humanity beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Although sending astronauts to the International Space Station from these companies is one goal (such as SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Boeing’s [Chicago Illinois] Starliner), space tourism is another chief focus (such as Blue Origin [Kent, Washington] and Virgin Galactic [Las Cruces]).

Where does outer space begin?

As suborbital space tourism gears up, the decades-old debate about the boundary of Earth’s atmosphere continues.

From aviation tourism to suborbital space tourism: A study on passenger screening and business opportunities

Due to the significant amount of cost for privately paid passenger to travel the Earth orbit and beyond, orbital space tourism (OST) is not affordable for the general public in the coming decades. Therefore, the second best could be the suborbital space tourism (SST). According to the following facts, SST could be right at the corner: in October 2017, the Saudi Arabia intended to invest 1 billion USD into Virgin Galactic; on December 11, 2019, Blue Origin's New Shepard had a wholly successful 12th flight test mission (NS-12); and then on February 13, 2020, Virgin Galactic's spaceplane SpaceShipTwo, named VSS Unity, has been successfully relocated to its commercial headquarters at Spaceport America. Referring to the possible or potential effects of reusable suborbital launch vehicle (RSLV) trajectory dynamics on the neuro-vestibular system of passenger, this paper studied and discussed the pre-flight passenger screening contents and the related business opportunities for SST. Requirements for the third class medical certificate of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the USA have been proposed as a major reference. Since the SST is a new emerging market, contents for pre-flight screening of tourist need be rigorous, but could be adjustable based on accumulated flight experience in the future. The related business opportunities, either academic or commercial, in pre-flight training, pre-flight adaption, post-flight adaption, and data analysis, are expected to form a new industry chain gradually from 2020s to 2030s or 2040s.

Factors influencing the emergence of suborbital space tourism

Suborbital space tourism is becoming a reality. The suborbital space industry is predicted to grow from $340 billion to $1 trillion over the next 20 years. A literature review, conducted on references from 2012 to 2019, identified five factors associated with the development and management of safe and effective suborbital space tourism. This paper summarizes the aspects of demand, ticket cost, motivation and risk, health risk, and policy, and how each influences the development and management of suborbital space toursim.

Applying the model-based concept framework to capturing the safety aspects of the suborbital human spaceflight missions

Safety issues are one of the core attributes of the projects of the New Space economy such as SpaceShipTwo and New Shepard. While these projects are on their way to shifting the paradigms in space tourism and transportation, the question of tourist safety remains in the cornerstone for a successful operations. One of the important questions we encounter when we start the development of complex systems such as the suborbital transportation and space tourism systems is: what are the concepts available and how can these concepts be represented using strictly defined ontology and model semantics? And finally – how this model-based information would support the system architect in keeping track of safety aspects? In this work we present a model-based concept framework that aims to address this issue. First a concept framework methodology is presented, after which we demonstrate its applicability to suborbital human spaceflight missions–SpaceShipTwo and New Shepard. The analytical conceptual difference between these concepts is demonstrated. The proposed framework includes: the information about the stakeholders and their needs; the solution-neutral environment (the problem statement) in which we formulate the functional intent; the solution-specific environment (solution statement) in which we see the possible solutions; the integrated concept revealed by means of the decomposition of such solution into internal elements and functions; and the concept of operations. Each one of these entries of the concept framework has a counterpart represented in conceptual modeling languages, such as Object-Process Methodology (OPM) or the System Modeling Language (SysML). Such a model-based concept framework encodes the core information required to define a suborbital tourism concept and represent it in a digital environment. We believe this will become a powerful tool to support the makers of architectural decisions that lead to concept and eventually to architecture, and that provides a safe operations for suborbital tourist services.

Aerothermodynamic study of a small hypersonic plane

PurposeThis paper aims to present an aerothermodynamic analysis of a new concept of a small hypersonic airplane. Aerodynamics characteristics for different flow conditions encountered during the missions are analyzed. The effects of elevons deflection for pitch control and of the presence of engines on aerodynamic performances are also investigated for different flight conditions. The effects of boundary layer laminar–turbulent transition on aerodynamic heating are studied to preliminarily identify proper materials that can sustain the hypersonic phase.Design/methodology/approachAerodynamic characteristics are predicted by means of the semi-empirical aerodynamic prediction code Missile DATCOM and computational fluid dynamics simulations. Computational fluid dynamics analysis is also performed to investigate aerodynamic heating phenomenon.FindingsMajor discrepancies between the results offered by the two methods have been registered in transonic regime, whereas in subsonic and super-hypersonic conditions, Missile DATCOM confirms to be a suitable tool for preliminary design steps. The results of the analysis show that for the identification of the materials that can sustain the hypersonic phase, the turbulent solution must be taken into account. Carbon fiber reinforced ceramics composite materials seem particularly well suited for the nose, wing and vertical tail leasing edges and control surfaces, while titanium alloys could be used for the rest of the vehicle surface.Originality/valueThis new concept of vehicle is designed both for point-to-point medium range hypersonic transportation and long duration suborbital space tourism missions, by integrating available technologies developed for aeronautical and space systems.

Exploration to Exploitation: An Industry Analysis of Suborbital Space Tourism

Abstract Commercial human access to suborbital space tourism as a segment within the commercial space transportation industry has been rapidly evolving. This study uses a competitive analysis appro...

A Study and Discussion on the Cost Issue of Suborbital and Orbital Space Tourism

The major purposes of this paper are to study the current costs, or say the ticket prices, for suborbital and orbital space tourisms and to discuss the rationality. On 27 February 2017, SpaceX has announced it plans to launch two paying passengers on a tourist trip around the moon next year (2018). Two private citizens who were not named have paid significant deposit to be sent around the moon to mark the furthest humans have ever travelled to deep space. It could be believed that the cost is tens of million USDs per person. Between 2001 and 2009, 7 millionaires paid and travelled 8 times to the International Space Station by taking the Russian Soyuz spacecraft and launch vehicle systems. Recently, Blue Origin successfully tested the full-envelope escape system of its New Shepard’s crew capsule with the first crewed test flights planned for early 2018. Also, the Virgin Galactic’s second SpaceShipTwo took to the skies for the first test flight of the revamped atmospheric re-entry system, and expected commercial passenger service to be underway before the end of 2018. Through the background review, this paper concluded that the current prices announced are too high, and the ticket price for suborbital space tourism should be no more than one tenth for that of orbital, Strategies for reducing price were discussed. For the sustainable and prosperous development of space tourism, the cost must be affordable by many tourists, not simply by a few very rich persons.

STUDY ON THE STATIC AND DYNAMIC STABILITY OF A MODULAR AIRPLANE SYSTEM

The purpose of this research is an analysis of the static and dynamic stability of the Modular Airplane System (MAS). The MAS is designed to perform suborbital space flights. The concept assumes that two tailless vehicles bonded together form a conventional aircraft where the wing of the second one is used as the horizontal tail of the whole system. The CFD calculations, and the stability and control derivatives were conducted by the PANUKL package, which uses a low order panel method for the aerodynamic analysis. The analysis of the static and dynamic stability was performed by the SDSA package. Only the selected part of the MAS mission was investigated. The results that will be presented have been divided into three parts: static stability, longitudinal dynamic stability and lateral dynamic stability. The MAS has a few possible applications. The first one is a suborbital space tourism flight. Moreover, it can be used as a lunching vehicle for micro satellites or as a testing platform for new space technology to improve their TRL level. Finally, in the far future, it could be used as a fast point-to-point travel system. The paper presents the results of the static and dynamic stability of a unique aircraft configuration which consists of two tailless vehicles. The research focuses on a situation where the vehicles are just before separation and their mass is similar. Moreover, the influence of the second vehicle’s position with respect to the first one is included.

Ups and downs of space tourism development in 60 years from moon register to spaceshiptwo CRASH

In human imagination, dreams and expectations, the sequence of “space tourism” has most likely been Moon tourism, Earth orbital tourism and then suborbital tourism. But the sequence in actual development is the reverse: first Earth suborbital tourism, then orbital tourism, and finally Moon tourism. In 1954, three years before the successful launch of the first human artificial satellite, the world's oldest travel company, Thomas Cook in Britain, initiated the “Moon Register.” Enthusiasts could sign an option for a commercial trip to the Moon and the company guaranteed to provide tickets at the earliest possible date. Sixty years later on 31st October 2014, the first SpaceShip Two (SS2) of Virgin Galactic developed for commercial suborbital space tourism (SST) and scientific research crashed at the Mojave Desert in California during test flight. Although the first privately paid space tourist had traveled to the International Space Station in 2001, this was only for millionaires and not the general public. In 2004, although SpaceShipOne won the Ansari X prize and shed the first light on SST, the commercial SST operations originally planned to be realized in 2008 are now long overdue. The SS2 has been just one of the reusable suborbital launch vehicles developed for SST and other purposes, with others including the Lynx, Spaceplane and Dream Chaser. However a tragedy in which the SS2 crashed and caused the sacrifice of one senior test pilot alerted tourists that the long overdue of SST might still be a few years away. The purposes of this paper are to review and discuss the ups and downs of space tourism development in the 60 years from 1954 to 2014, and to look forward to get more clear future from the unveiling of second SS2 on 19th February 2016 and the continuous development of Lynx Mark I. However in any case, there are still many constraints including economy.

Performances of a small hypersonic airplane (HyPlane)

In the present work a preliminary performance study regarding a small hypersonic airplane named HyPlane is presented. It is designed for point-to-point medium range hypersonic trip, within the “urgent business travel” market segment. The vehicle is also consistent with long duration suborbital space tourism missions, in the frame of the Space Renaissance (SR) Italia Space Tourism Program. The design of such a hypersonic airplane is based on the concept of integrating available technologies developed for aeronautical and space atmospheric re-entry systems.The vehicle, characterized by high aerodynamic efficiency and low wing loading and powered by Turbine Based Combined Cycle (TBCC) engines plus a throtteable Rocket, is able to produce a reduced sonic boom and to perform Horizontal Takeoff and Horizontal Landing (HTHL) on runways.Aerodynamic and propulsive performances for the different flight regimes encountered during the missions are studied. Aerodynamic heating effects are analyzed, in order to identify suitable structures and materials design to sustain the hypersonic flight conditions. Different flight paths are also investigated, including hypersonic cruise and suborbital parabolic trajectories, which provide Space tourists with the opportunity of long duration missions, offering short and repeated periods of low-gravity, in the high stratosphere where a large view of the Earth is ensured.

Status and Perspectives of Hypersonic Systems and Technologies with Emphasis on the Role of Sub-Orbital Flight

The relevance and the main features of Hypersonic Flight are shortly presented and discussed. A synthetic overview of the few realisations and of many studies, projects and technological demonstrators offers opportunity of point out many interesting aspects. Then the more actual realisations and studies are considered, with particular attention to the new sector of small suborbital planes for Space Tourism. That gives opportunity of proposing a Road Map for an affordable and logic development of Hypersonic Flight, passing through the development of a suborbital Space Tourism plane on the basis of an existing subsonic business jet. Then the suborbital plane will constitute the basis of developing an Hypersonic Cruise Business Jet and, as a next step, a TSTO.

The first decade of commercial space tourism

In order to provide a basis for assessing the future prospects and challenges of space tourism, this paper begins with a brief overview of the history of space tourism. This is followed by a discussion on market demand and current developments in the academic community, as well as the status of traffic tools, regulations and legalization. In market demand, although studies conducted in 1990s assumed the possibility of 500,000 per year in space tourists and several billion USD of annual revenue, in 2008 a relatively modest 13,000 per year was predicted. At this time traffic transport tools including the Soyuz system, CST-100, DragonRider and International Space Station (ISS) can only provide a few tens in spare seats for space tourists per year compared to the projected 20,000 plus seat capacity of the Lynx, Dream Chaser and SpaceShipTwo (SS2) fleets, which have the potential to conduct their first full suborbital test flight and first commercial flight within the coming decade. Added to this, the US government has only a regulatory regime that supports privately owned suborbital space tourism (SST) and no government funded orbital space tourism (OST). These evidences reveal a very high and advantageous potential for SST to form a space tourism industry in the coming decade, whereas the possibility of OST is relatively low. However, even though the prosperity of SST in the coming years is expectable, its maturity, reliability and safety still need to win the confidence of the general public. For examples, the announcement of changes to fuel used in the SS2 rocket engine in May 2014 and the crash of one SS2 while performing test flight on 31 October 2014 indicated the need for much careful preparation, as any accident in commercial operation could seriously damage or even kill its future prospects.

The Wax Rocket

Since spaceflight began, there have been fewer than 5,500 launches into orbit, and only about 300 of those have carried astronauts. These endeavors have always been risky. Indeed, failure rate for space launches over past five decades has hovered around 8 percent. Early aircraft were also subject to frequent accidents, but private industry invested billions in development, and these machines grew steadily safer over time. Without a mass market to drive a similar evolution, space travel has remained exceedingly dangerous. No wonder it still takes a good dollop of the right stuff to be an astronaut. Soon, though, advent of suborbital space tourism may finally do what decades of government-sponsored R&D could not. Companies such as Airbus Defence & Space, Armadillo Aerospace, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and Xcor Aerospace are planning to offer suborbital flights for prices that ordinary people- or at least ordinary wealthy people- can afford.