Space Tourism Case Study

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Introduction “Exploration is in our nature. We began as wanderers, and we are wanderers still. We have lingered long enough on the shores of the cosmic ocean. We are ready at last to set sail for the stars.” - Carl Sagan Acknowledgements Executive Summary The Iter ad Astra acknowledges that the finest details of a space settlement do not matter if it cannot be built in the first place. Instead, the Iter ad Astra is the path that allows space settlement to happen. While the Iter ad Astra proposes several industries for a space settlement, it also recognizes that changes in technology and in the economy may demand completely different purposes for the settlement. Currently, no committed roadmap exists for developing space and eventually…show more content…
The designs being currently developed by private companies appear to show the greatest promise. In addition, alternative launch options were considered, with rotavators combined with reusable hypersonic vehicles showing the greatest promise in the coming decades, and launch loops are capable of transporting great amounts of people into space at cheap prices, if the demand for its capabilities arises in the future. Infrastructure is necessary for the cheap construction of space settlements, and will benefit space development in general. Much of it should be built in the near-future, so little changes should be needed. Three bases will be built, with a primary focus for each. All bases use the principle of self-expansion, using the resources available on the Moon to build more equipment. This will result in vastly increased production with very few launches, with progressively more advanced and self-sufficient structures being built. Iter ad Astra also recognizes the usefulness of the asteroids, which complement the Moon bases by providing resources unavailable on the Moon. In addition, the atmosphere of Earth itself provides the oxidizer for rockets, by scooping it up in…show more content…
If we do not settle space, humanity is destined to go extinct, be it in a century or a billion years. It is our nature to explore, to expand our frontier. Iter ad Astra intends to solve the greatest obstacle to building a space settlement—the lack of an economic motive. Gerard O’Neill and others proved that space settlement is doable. Now is the time to make it a reality. With the rise of the private space industry in recent years, and improving technology, there has been no better time in history to set off on the cosmic journey. The long-term goals for Iter ad Astra are as

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