Dan Garretson

Today’s surge in space tourism is driven by market forces and has the potential to deliver outsized benefits more affordably. These private-sector space efforts are market driven, sustainable, broad-based and increasingly cost-effective

Critics of privately funded “joyrides” to space fail to understand that for decades government has been lost in space, taking much too long and spending too much money to accomplish too little. Government driven space policy will always be subject to shifting political whims and budget priorities, while market based space exploration is driven by opportunity for real gain and disciplined by competition and market forces. Today’s wealthy “early adopters” of space ventures are the first step in a process that will lead to greater, faster and broader opportunities in space for many.