Katy Perry and her all-female team venture into space: Is space tourism a worthwhile endeavor?

On Monday, April 14, pop icon Katy Perry, along with five other women, ventured into space aboard a rocket operated by billionaire Jeff Bezos' private enterprise, Blue Origin. This marked the first instance of an all-female crew traveling to space since 1963.

The mission lasted approximately 11 minutes, during which the New Shepard rocket ascended over 100 kilometers above Earth, surpassing the internationally recognized boundary of space, known as the Kármán line. The crew experienced a brief period of weightlessness before their descent back to Earth.

The expedition undertaken by Perry and her fellow travelers highlighted the growing interest in space tourism. According to a report by Research and Markets, the industry was valued at $848.28 million in 2023, having reached $1.3 billion the previous year. Projections suggest that by 2030, the industry could expand to $6.7 billion, with a growth rate of 31.6% anticipated between 2024 and 2030.

Despite the rapid expansion of the space tourism sector, concerns have also escalated regarding the high cost of tickets and the environmental implications associated with such ventures.

So, what precisely is space tourism?

Space tourism refers to a segment of the aviation industry that aims to offer individuals the chance to experience space travel for recreational, leisure, or business purposes, as outlined in the book ‘Air Transport: A Tourism Perspective,’ edited by Anne Graham and Frederic Dobruszkes.

There are two primary categories of space tourism: sub-orbital and orbital. Sub-orbital flights take passengers just beyond the Kármán line, allowing them to enjoy a few minutes in space before returning to Earth.

Conversely, orbital flights transport passengers significantly beyond the Kármán line, typically enabling them to stay at altitudes of nearly 1.3 million feet for several days to over a week.

The industry features three major private companies: Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and SpaceX, all of which conducted their inaugural missions in 2021.

What are the issues associated with space tourism?

LIMITED ACCESSIBILITY: At present, space tourism is primarily available to the extremely wealthy. A prospective passenger typically needs to invest a minimum of one million dollars to experience space travel. For example, while Blue Origin has not disclosed complete ticket prices, a deposit of $150,000 is necessary to secure a seat. According to space.com, a trip aboard a Virgin Galactic spacecraft is priced at approximately $450,000.

This context led to criticism of Blue Origin’s recent mission, particularly after the company claimed that the all-female crew symbolized a significant moment for feminism. Actress Olivia Munn described the venture as “a bit gluttonous” during a television interview, stating, “I know this is not the popular opinion, but there are so many pressing issues in the world right now… What are you all planning to do in space?”

In addition to Perry, the crew featured Lauren Sánchez, Jeff Bezos’s fiancée; CBS host Gayle King; former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe; civil rights advocate Amanda Nguyen; and film producer Kerianne Flynn.

NOT A CATALYST FOR INNOVATION: Over the years, proponents of space tourism have contended that the sector could yield numerous advantages. For instance, space tourists might conduct experiments examining the effects of microgravity on human health, plant development, and material characteristics, which could aid scientists in preparing for future space missions.

Nevertheless, the experiments carried out during space tourism flights have yet to yield any groundbreaking innovations. According to a report from space.com, “These experiments have not been particularly revolutionary or involved anything that couldn’t be accomplished by astronauts aboard the ISS. Thus, space tourism is not significantly advancing human spaceflight.” Furthermore, the technologies being developed by private companies for space tourism are unlikely to benefit other space-related endeavors, such as industrial and scientific applications, the report noted.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: Numerous studies have indicated that space tourism could result in environmental harm, as rockets release both gaseous and solid pollutants directly into the upper atmosphere.

For example, nitrogen oxides produced during rocket launches can contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer by transforming ozone into oxygen. This poses a risk to the recovery of the ozone layer, which has improved since the discontinuation of chlorofluorocarbons.

According to a 2022 study conducted by researchers from University College London (UCL), the University of Cambridge, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), soot emissions from rocket launches are significantly more effective at warming the atmosphere than emissions from other sources.

These concerns are why many experts express skepticism regarding space tourism and its purported advantages. They consistently emphasize that the funds and resources allocated to such leisure activities could be more effectively utilized to advance climate and environmental initiatives on Earth.