A desire to finally unveil what lies beyond our horizon has always been a latent constant throughout the history of mankind, making space the epicenter of mythology, religions, beliefs, studies and ambitions. Less than a century ago space flight and space exploration were simply inconceivable, yet scientists like Tsiolkovsky had already paved the way for astronautics, managing to crystallize in a mathematical function the innate human drive to look further and further away.
The first stone in space exploration was laid in 1961, when Soviet pilot Yuri Gagarin became the world’s first cosmonaut to be rocketed around Earth’s orbit. From then on, huge steps have been made toward sending humans beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Yet, in looking at space exploration there still is, up to this day, an element of exclusivity which cannot be taken out of the equation. The very thought of being able to see our planet from the outside is, in fact, still a far-off concept to most. Repeatedly, however, history has proven that mankind’s pioneering disposition has managed to make the inconceivable conceivable. A mix of technological advancements and a growing interest of private companies such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX have made concepts which once belonged to the realm of science fiction, like space exploration and space tourism tangible.
The next chapter in the history of space exploration and space tourism is yet to be written, but what we can be sure about is that the future of space promises to be an era of unknown discovery...
As for all new products, the very concept of space tourism is closely tied to the inner circle of the world’s wealthiest individuals, who seem to be the only ones able to afford the prohibitive cost of a trip to the stars. Still, as private individuals like Elon Musk keep on looking for new and innovative ways to make space exploration more efficient and less expensive, there is no doubt that the cost of booking a ticket to space is expected to gradually decrease, becoming more affordable to more people.
SpaceX’s monumental achievement in managing to successfully catch a booster returning to Earth after a flight test is just the beginning. Not only was this event a milestone for future space flights, but it brought to life the very mission of SpaceX, which was, and still is, to reduce the cost of space travel by developing a fleet of reusable vehicles. Needless to say that when it comes to the cost of space flights, one of the main items of expenditure is the one related to the rocket’s construction. What SpaceX is trying to do is level this cost down by managing to reuse a rocket, sliding away from the traditional practice of designing rockets for single-use missions.
The next chapter in the history of space exploration and space tourism is yet to be written, but what we can be sure about is that the future of space promises to be an era of unknown discovery, expanding and redefining our horizons, and how privileged we are to live in a time of such infinite possibilities.