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Solar System Sight Seeing
http://forum.spaceagemag.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=464
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Author:  SatelliteWax [ Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Solar System Sight Seeing

If there is a Solar System Sight Seeing (SSSS) business what do you think they would go to see ???

What would be the most valuable sight in the whole solar system do you think ??? To make most money off a single sight


I like to think about that strange Hexagon on Saturn


___SatelliteWax

Author:  JamesG [ Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Solar System Sight Seeing

Earth to Saturn is a long LONG trip with not much to see...

Near term, the best view is the one right here. Earth is very beautiful from space, and everyone instinctively wants to see what their home looks like from orbit.
Next would be Mars I guess. The Moon is pretty cool at first, but would get monotonous just to look at after a while. Venus also, since all you can see are the cloud tops.

Eventually the ride to the outer solar system will get shorter and more practical. Its a toss up between which is more awesome: The Jupiter system with its spots and assortment of moons (go for swim on Uropa?) or Saturn and its rings? Book now to reserve your seat.

Author:  Intranaut [ Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Solar System Sight Seeing

Or in the even shorter term I've always thought there was something quite romantic about the peaks of eternal light on the Moon :)

Author:  RickLewis [ Mon Oct 11, 2010 7:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Solar System Sight Seeing

JamesG wrote:
Near term, the best view is the one right here. Earth is very beautiful from space, and everyone instinctively wants to see what their home looks like from orbit.

If we are talking purely in a financial sense of valuable, as the original posting sort of suggests, then I agree that a view of Earth from orbit (or even near orbit) is probably going to bring the highest returns. The nearness of the destination means you can handle far higher numbers of customers than tours farther afield (eg Saturn, Neptune....) and on a per hour basis I imagine that shorter trips are bound to be more expensive than longer ones anyway.

Author:  JamesG [ Mon Oct 11, 2010 9:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Solar System Sight Seeing

Or profitability anyway.

Sub and orbital tourism flights are just now coming into the realm of the technical and financial possible. Despite the grandiose dreams, its going to be a long time before even lunar tourism is ever really on the board. The insurance underwriting issue alone is a show stopper right now. Even Mars is probably a century away at the rate we are going...

Author:  Intranaut [ Mon Oct 11, 2010 10:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Solar System Sight Seeing

Do you mean humans on Mars or tourists on Mars?
In a lot of ways I'd rather not see tourists ever set foot on Mars...

Author:  JamesG [ Tue Oct 12, 2010 12:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Solar System Sight Seeing

Why?

If you think about it, the Apollo astronauts were nothing more than tourists. They have the photos and souvenirs to prove it.


Space is quite unpleasant and hostile compared to good ol' Earth. If its not scientists looking for that next grant, engineers trying to get rich, or well heeled tourists, things will have to get REALLY bad on Earth for "regular people" to be willing to move off world permanently.

Author:  Intranaut [ Tue Oct 12, 2010 9:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Solar System Sight Seeing

True with the Apollo astronauts being glorified tourists. I suppose what I'd hate to see is the cheapening of space, pop-ups shouting "You've won a trip to the Saturn system!"
I've little doubt that it will eventually become just another way to make money, but I'd hate to see it lose its sheen as the final frontier

Author:  JamesG [ Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Solar System Sight Seeing

That is the beautiful thing about space, it will always be the "Final Frontier". If its not LEO or the Moon, it will be Mars. If not Mars, it will be the outer solar system. If not Saturn, then it will be the Proxmima/ Alpha Centari. etc.

Space travel getting as common as air travel can't come soon enough, its what will make everyone's dreams and ideas about space possible. But yeah, that will include obnoxious tourists. So far the tourists have been the ones leading the charge.

Author:  Intranaut [ Wed Oct 13, 2010 5:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Solar System Sight Seeing

True true. I don't actually have anything to add, but I felt a response would let you know I'm still reading it.

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