New Launches Signal Competing Interests in Space Tourism Business
Artemis 2 is set to launch a new era of space travel and hospitality as NASA officially enters the space tourism race. The original Artemis mission was originally set to focus on the Moon. However with changes in NASA leadership with a focus on profitability, funding cuts from Congress, and renewed interest in bucket-list travel by Americans, NASA is now focused on the lucrative market for space tourism. The Space Launch System (SLS), a super heavy-lift launch vehicle, brings to space the initial stages of the giant Trump Space hotel and Astro Conference Center. Both Blue Origin and SpaceX have started their first sets of space launches to build competing hotel chains. Blue Origin and Marriott have partnered on a large hotel complex with amazing views of the Earth and positioned near the International Space Station with various tour packages available. SpaceX is designing a hotel and waterpark with Great Wolf Lodge. Elon Musk has tasked the engineering teams with the almost insurmountable challenge of managing water flow in microgravity. The SpaceX marketing campaign to generate fervent interest and first 10,000 customers committing to pay $250,000 each was launched before the initial designs were started.