Have you ever dreamed of being in space, floating weightlessly whilst watching over our beautiful planet from high above?
Well, the outer space might just be the next frontier for humankind as we continue to find innovative and meaningful ways to change the world. It's unbelievable that a large number of aerospace technologies that exist today stem from classic science-fiction films/literature about space exploration.
Movies and TV shows such as Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey and the original Star Trek series (starring the charming William Shatner) were presented to the world during the 1960s, but we, as a species, have just begun to see the results of this wonderful display of visionary imagination and portrayal of Space Travel.
In 1961, Yuri Gagarin's historical ascend into space marked the first time that a human being travelled beyond earth's outer atmosphere. This was possibly the catalyst of the race to space as nations tried to outdo each other to send the first human to the moon. As Neil Armstrong said as he set foot on the moon, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
Perhaps this transcending achievement pushed the boundaries of imagination and technology, thus influencing scientist and engineers to shape modern aerospace technology into what it is today. It wasn't that long ago that space exploration was reserved only for a few selected individuals, mainly astronauts.
With all the advancement in aerospace technology, it's unsurprising that commercial space travel was launched at the turn of the millennium. Dennis Tito became the world's first space tourist in 2001 and he had to pay a whopping $20 million for the entire trip. He spent seven days orbiting the earth on board the International Space Station.
Since then, there have been numerous commercial trips to space but they all came at an extremely hefty price. Fortunately, for those who have dreams of visiting the final frontier, companies like Virgin Galactic and Space Adventures are now offering people a chance to go into space, at a fraction of the $20 - 40 million that those billionaires paid for.
Thanks to companies like these, space tourism will certainly be a very sought after form of holiday in the future. Virgin is expected to launch their sub-orbital space program in 2014, and people can easily buy their tickets through any
Space Agency.
If there is anyone in Australia who is interested in flying out to space with celebrities like Stephen Hawking and Ashton Kutcher, their best bet is to purchase the tickets through a certified Australian
Space Agency such as Spencer Travel. There are only a select few agents in the world who are accredited to run a
Space Agency, and each agent must go through a rigorous training program to ensure that they provide only the highest standards of service.
Now that space tourism has become a reality, it seems like humankind is ready for big adventures outside of planet Earth. Maybe someday we will even have hotels or holiday resorts on the moon. And just like how most of our favourite technologies have reduced in price as they become a fixture in our daily lives, perhaps space tickets will be much cheaper in the future and anyone can afford to explore the final frontier.
Olivia Brown is a highly respected travel writer who is also working her way towards obtaining her certification as a space agent. She is now making her way towards her goals of working for a
Space Agency in Australia, in hopes that she will someday be able to venture into outer space as well. Olivia regularly liaises with trusted space agencies to gather credible information about
Space Travel. Her exciting globetrotting adventures are chronicled in various travel publications throughout Australia.
