According to a renowned astronaut, space travel will soon be as commonplace as flying by airline.
There will be greater accessibility to space travel and tourism as more businesses, especially in the aviation sector, offer services to transport passengers on suborbital trips.
During a unique special flight on Tuesday to commemorate the UAE’s space initiatives ahead of its 52nd National Day, a senior high official of Dubai-based carrier Emirates made this assessment. The flight also marked Sultan AlNeyadi’s successful return from a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), where he conducted numerous scientific research projects and recorded the first spacewalk for the Arab world.
The Chief Operating Officer of Emirates, Adel Al Redha, told Khaleej Times during flight EK2641 that “the more we explore to know more about space, the more people would like to take that journey to space.”
Feeling as though you are weightless
Space tourism refers to flying above the Kármán line, or the traditional border between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space, at an altitude of more than 100 km above sea level. This is also known as personal spaceflight or commercial human spaceflight. Passengers may feel almost zero gravity or weightlessness at that altitude.
In response to a direct question from Khaleej Times regarding Emirates’ potential for space tourism and its willingness to work with existing suborbital flight companies, Al Redha stated, “I would not be surprised in the near future to hear airline companies launching services for space travel.” However, he did not provide a firm response.
The worldwide space tourism market is predicted to rise from $851.7 million in 2024 to $5.19 billion by 2034, based on some market studies.
According to Al Rehda, space tourism is a specialized area of the aviation sector that allows visitors to experience suborbital space travel for leisure or business, much like becoming astronauts.
He added that considering the UAE’s recent quick advancements in space exploration, it is in an ideal position to actively promote space tourism. He emphasized, “The UAE has jumped fast in only a few years to become a pioneer in space.”
“As typical as operating an airplane”
AlNeyadi responded to a related question concerning space tourism by saying, “Space — overall — is open to everyone.” Thus, I anticipate seeing more individuals launch on frequent space missions in the near future.
He added that traveling to space in the future would be similar to flying now. “Traveling by plane seemed unthinkable a century ago, but it’s now extremely commonplace. Similar to how space travel first appeared unfeasible but eventually became a reality. More technological progress will allow us to make space travel as commonplace as flying an airplane, according to AlNeyadi.
a common goal and dedication
Tuesday’s special flight, which carried MBRSC employees, engineers, data scientists, and top executives, flew over the United Arab Emirates for two hours. The A380 aircraft, which is flying a specially-designed astronaut decal “celebrating the UAE’s vision to build its capabilities in space exploration and aerospace innovation on a global stage,” is a unique element of the voyage.
Hazzaa AlMansoori, the first Emirati astronaut in space, and the members of Expedition 69, which included Russian cosmonauts Andrey Fedyaev, Sergey Prokopyev, and Dmitri Petelin along with American astronauts Stephen Bowen, Woody Hoburg, and commander Frank Rubio, were also on board flight EK2641.
The director general of MBRSC, Salem Humaid AlMarri, stated that the unique flight represents a “shared vision and commitment to pioneering and recognising the contributions of the aerospace sector.”
“MBRSC is committed to advancing space exploration and innovation in the UAE and the region as we move to the future. With the forward-thinking vision of our leadership, we are prepared to make significant advancements, break through barriers, and strengthen the position of our country in space globally.
“We are honored to celebrate Dr. AlNeyadi’s successful mission and return, as well as the groundbreaking work of MBRSC to propel the UAE’s flourishing space sector,” Al Redha retorted. We will keep working to further the UAE’s goal of expanding human understanding and exploring uncharted territory, both on and off Earth.
