Study Shows Large Space Tourism Market

HobbySpacer writes: "A serious market study has finally been done on space tourism and it shows a substantial market, even for brief sub-orbital flights. The Futron/Zogby study of high income individuals found that 19% would pay $100k for a sub-orbital flight. Furthermore, 7% would pay $20M to go to the Space Station (if they had the money.) The percentages go up if the prices could come down, especially with availability of private orbital facilities. With around 30 million high-net-worth households ($500,000+) in the US, this indicates a market of several million for suborbital on the short term and eventually for orbital. We can hope that like previous expensive luxuries, e.g. jet travel and ocean cruises, the wealthy will pull the prices down to a level reachable by the rest of us."

Comments

Re:Comparison With Cars

[No_Weak_Heart]

80 years ago(1922) cars were available to your average Joe. And there is a reason for this, and it is not because rich people bought enough expensive toys and "pull[ed] the prices down to a level reachable by the rest of us."

The reason is Henry Ford had a dream of mass producing cars that would be reasonably priced, easy to operate and reliable. He achieved his dream in 1908 with the legendary Model T, an automobile that revolutionized personal transportation in America. It's impact quickly spread worldwide, with the adoption of assembly line construction methods pioneered by Ford. Ford also paid his workers a decent wage and developed the dealer-franchise networks, things that were needed to pave the way for mass consumption(a necessary but not always present corollary to mass production.)

By 1912 there were 7,000 Ford dealers across the country. By 1915 1 million Ford cars had been produced. Eighty years ago cars were hardly the "rich man's toy."

And what space transportation needs to overcome are the very things that the Model T conquered: ease of use, reliability and affordable cost. We don't need rich space tourists - we need a Twenty-First Century Henry Ford!

Re:The X-Prize - Cheap Access To Space

[Gorobei]

I've been pegged at 50 for a while, but you're right: that would be a neat +1 trick.

I've been considering trying for +50 in a single weekend with a throw-away account - if I ever get bored, look out for the "oops, sorry about that link" trick :)

Re:Who will pilot the ships?

[greylnx]

It was possibly an old Hitchcock episode where the 'sicko' bets a guy that his lighter will light 10 times in a row. The prize was a brand new car -vs- the guys pinkie.

Proceed with the 'Offtopic' moderation at your liesure.

Re:market study

[EuroChild]

You forgot the option "my left nut"

Re:Who will pilot the ships?

[marcop]

Yes, that was it. Thanks