Reusing ISS Alpha designs

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> Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 22:06:50 +0100
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> Now there have been paying passengers on Soyuz flights to the ISS. I was wondering if there are enough millionaires like Tito and Shuttleworth to economically merit the launch (by Proton) of something resembling a Mir core module, and then Soyuz flights with each one pilot and two paying passengers. And perhaps making it accessible to the very fortunate ones among the general public by a lottery, the profits of which could either go into some charity or other, or into development of eg. a cheaper launch system. Would such a tourist facility be too expensive or considered too dangerous? Or would it run into too much opposition from the national space agencies?

The latter.

NASA and the Europeans fought tooth and nail to prevent the tourist flights to ISS. They want a government monopoly on spaceflight. The primary purpose for ISS is to give government space agencies a reason for existing, and they will do everything they can to ensure their survival.

The space tourist market could expand considerably once government resistance is eliminated. A lottery is not necessary, there is no shortage of fare paying passengers. And there is more than enough private capital available to finance such an effort, if the conditions were right. But today, the conditions are not right.