Press Release

Futron Releases New Space Tourism Publications

By SpaceRef Editor

October 7, 2002

Filed under Futron, Space Tourism, US

Orbital Space Travel & Destinations together with Suborbital Space Travel

Overview |Table of Contents | Table of Figures | PDF brochure

By 2021, Commercial Space Travel Could Amount to an Industry Worth over US$1 Billion.

Building on a comprehensive and detailed survey about public space travel among affluent individuals, Futron Corporation has released 20-year forecasts for the orbital and suborbital space tourism markets. Futron’s forecasts indicate that the commercial space travel industry could generate revenues in excess of US$1 billion annually by 2021.

Earlier in 2002, Futron commissioned Zogby International to poll affluent Americans about their level of interest in public space travel, their willingness to pay for specific space travel options, and an array of other relevant information concerning lifestyle choices, spending patterns, and attitudes towards risk. The survey was confined to individuals that could potentially afford these high price excursions, and the respondents were presented with realistic portrayals of the space travel experience. The bottom line: wealthy citizens around the world could and would pay to take that trip into space.

The survey results were extensively analyzed and became the foundation for Futron’s forecasts for orbital space travel and destinations and suborbital travel. Both the survey results and Futron’s forecasts are reported in depth in Futron’s newest publication, Space Tourism Market Study.

Some of the more interesting findings include:

Suborbital space travel is a promising market – Futron’s forecast for suborbital space travel projects that by 2021, over 15,000 passengers could be flying annually, representing revenues in excess of US$700 million.

Orbital space travel is also a promising market – Futron’s forecast for orbital space travel projects that by 2021, 60 passengers may be flying annually, representing revenues in excess of US$300 million.

Of all the attractive features associated with a flight into space, viewing the Earth from space rated highest, with 63% of respondents indicating that the opportunity to do so was very important as an aspect of suborbital flight.

People were more or less indifferent to flying on a privately developed suborbital vehicle with limited flight history as compared to a vehicle developed by the government – 52% said it would make no difference in their decision to purchase a suborbital flight.

The group of respondents interested in and willing to pay for suborbital flights is demographically distinct from the group interested in and willing to pay for orbital flights.

Orbital space travel is a fairly elastic market; there are significant jumps in demand when the price drops to US$5 million and again at US$1 million.

52% of those surveyed indicated that post-flight physical discomfort (e.g., dizziness, difficulty standing) would make no difference in their decision to purchase a two-week orbital flight.

The most important thing about on-orbit destinations is options. Futron estimated that an increase in demand would result from having accommodation options at both the International Space Station and a commercial on-orbit facility available, yielding a total of 553 passengers over the forecast period – a 32% increase over the forecast with the International Space Station as the sole on-orbit destination option.