Space Tourism: A New Frontier for Adventure and Investment, Weighing Risks and Rewards of Suborbital, Orbital, and Lunar Missions

Space tourism emerges as a novel avenue for adventure, extending experiences to suborbital flights offering views of Earth's curvature and weightlessness, orbital flights reaching the International Space Station, and prospective lunar missions. However, this sector presents financial risks, including substantial research and development costs that limit market entry primarily to companies like Virgin Galactic. Investors face the potential loss of capital, along with the risk of accidents affecting reputation and income. Regulatory changes and fluctuating market demand, influenced by mission success, traveler experiences, and high costs, further contribute to investment uncertainties. The niche nature of space travel, attracting high-risk takers, and the necessity of passing operational costs to customers, impacting travel expenses, pose additional challenges to market size and profitability.