Space tourism is taking off, but is that a good thing? “They are fun and we are chaos”

Today, SpaceX has given the green light to commercial space travel where curious, wealthy space tourists can, but above all, feel like an astronaut for a while. Four ordinary citizens would spend three days in space without astronauts. During the trip, they will conduct scientific experiments and raise money for charity.

However, not everyone is passionate about space tourism. “The way it’s happening now is a lot like billionaires: they’re having fun and we’re a mess,” he said. Vincent IkeProfessor of Astronomy at Leiden University.

Icke is clearly not a fan of the first space flight with only tourists. “They only create a lot of pollution for four people. Eight billion people on the planet don’t benefit from it.”

According to Icke, only the wealthy will be able to buy a ticket to space in the future. “It’s very adventurous, for example, better than a vacation in Ibiza.”

There is no firm scientific basis

SpaceX offers that the four crew members will have different experiences during their flight. “The trip is justified by reference to scientific research,” explains Ike. But the type of research, according to the professor, is not in line with real space research, which is carried out, for example, by sensors and automatic telescopes. “Humans have no business in space. They misuse the good name of astronomy.”

According to the professor, space research is completely possible without the presence of man in space. “Scientific research has been done with tools, not people, since the time of Galileo Galilei.” Icke is clear: People have few reasons for going into space, let alone being amateurs.

People like Elon Musk don’t care much

The United Nations agreed that space begins at an altitude of 100 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. In addition, they agreed that space is a common human heritage. “It means that the space belongs to everyone, but people like Elon Musk (owner of SpaceX) don’t care,” Icke says. “They think that if it’s everyone’s business, then I can take it. Something like that is unstoppable, because there are no rules in space.” Thus, other commercial initiatives will soon follow, the professor believes.

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Hear the conversation with astronomy professor Vincent Ike about space tourism in The World Today on Radio 1 Select.

Source: vrtnws.be and “The World Today”

Winton Frazier

 "Amateur web lover. Incurable travel nerd. Beer evangelist. Thinker. Internet expert. Explorer. Gamer."

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