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Originally Posted by Ilya
No government-funded manned spaceflight, I can believe. But what makes you think people who can afford it will not be flying simply for fun (aka "tourism)?
I do not. But assuming you are right...
...why is Mars "the next mountain" and Pluto (or Europa, or Titan) is not?
Same objection I have for Cugel -- what makes you think people who can afford it will not be flying simply for fun (aka "tourism)?
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Undoubtedly they will, in the next few years with the sub orbital craft. If I could afford it, then I would be the first in line. But an orbiting tourist craft - well that is an entirely different ball game. Consider the infrastructure that is required to support an orbital mission just for starts. You need a global tracking network, and the ability to de orbit in an emergency just about anywhere on the orbital path. That requires a rescue service that is global, and that in itself will be expensive enough.