Rochester Institute of Technology RIT Scholar Works Theses 2007 The analysis of potential space tourism market Sandra Sankovic Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.rit.edu/theses Recommended Citation Sankovic, Sandra, "The analysis of potential space tourism market" (2007). Thesis. Rochester Institute of Technology. Accessed from This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by RIT Scholar Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses by an authorized administrator of RIT Scholar Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL SPACE TOURISM MARKET A continuation of project started by RIT Professor CJ. Wallington and its students in Space Tourism Development Course (Winter 2004/2005) Student: Sandra Sankovic Professors: Dr. CJ. Wallington Dr. James Jacobs Rochester, January 8, 2007 ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Department of Hospitality and Service Management Graduate Studies M.S. Service Management Presentation of ThesislProiect Findings Name: Sandra Sankovic Date: 3/30/07 S Title of Research: The Analysis of Potential Space Tourism Market Specific Recommendations: (use other side if necessary) Thesis Committee: (1) _~J....;;am~e~sJ....;;ac_o_b_s:,...., J_r ....!.., _Ph....;;.D~ ___ (Chairperson) (2) OR (3) -------------- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Clint Wallington Number of Credits Approved: 4 '/-3--07 J. W. Jacobs Jr. Date Committee Chairperson's Signature \6---~D-O 7 C. J. Wallington Date Committee Signature Note: This form will not be signed by the Department Chairperson until all corrections, as suggested in the specific recommendations (above) are completed. ce. Department Student Record File - Original Student FORMT ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Department of Hospitality and Service Management Graduate Studies M.S. Service Management Statement Granting or Denying Permission to Reproduce Thesis/Graduate Project The Author of a thesis or project should complete one of the following statements and include this statement as the page following the title page. Title of Thesis/project: The Analysis of Potential Space Tourism Market I, Sandra Sankovic ,~deny) permission to the Wallace Memorial Library ofR.I.T., to reproduce the document titled above in whole or part. Any reproduction will not be for commercial use or profit. OR I, ,prefer to be contacted each time a request for reproduction is made. I can be reached at the following address: Date 03/30/, Or Signature _________________Sandra Sankovic _ FORMK Table of Content Abstract 7 Chapter 1 1 . 1 Background 8 1 .2 Purpose statement 10 1 .3 Problem statement 10 1 .4 Definitions and terminology 11 Chapter 2 2. 1 Introduction 12 2.2 Space tourism 12 2.21 Space tourism today 13 2.21 1 Terrestrial space tourism 13 2.212 High-altitude tourism and suborbital tourism 15 2.213 Ansari X-Prize 16 2.2131 Scaled Composites and Burt Rutan 18 2.2132 SpaceShipOne 18 2.214 Orbital tourism 19 2.215 Space travel agencies 20 2.2151 Space Adventures 20 2.2152 Virgin Galactic 21 2.2153 Zero G Corp 21 2.216 Space tourism market research studies 2.2161 Market surveys by Dr. Patrick Collins 22 airports' 2.2162 Berlin survey 23 2.2163 NASA / STA study 23 2.2164 The U.K. survey 25 2.21 65 Survey for the Bigelow companies 26 2.2 166 Survey at Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne in Switzerland 26 2.2167 Futron study 27 2.21671 ASCENT study 27 2.2168 Japanese Rocket Society (JRS) study/ Japanese poll 28 2.2169 Space Adventures / Harris Interactive study 28 2.2170 Kelly Space and Technology market demand 29 2.21 8 Major obstacles to space tourism 29 2.219 The future of space tourism 30 2.220 Conclusion 32 Chapter 3 3.1 Introduction 33 3.2 Purpose 33 3.3 Design of investigation 33 3.4 Survey instrument development 35 3 .5 Data collection 36 3.6 Limitations and bias 37 Chapter 4 4. 1 Introduction 38 4.2 Demographics 38 4.3 Gender distribution 38 4.4 Age distribution ofthe interviewees 39 4.5 Level of education distribution ofthe interviewees 41 4.6 Zero-gravity questions in relation to demographic information (gender/ age group and educational level) ofthe interviewees 42 4.61 Knowledge of zero-gravity flights in relation to gender 43 4.62 Knowledge of zero-gravity flights in relation to age groups 44 4.63 Knowledge of zero-gravity flights in relation to level of education 46 4.64 Interest in taking a zero-gravity ride in relation to gender 47 4.65 Interest in taking a zero-gravity ride in relation to age groups 49 4.66 Interest in taking a zero-gravity ride in relation to levels of education 51 4.7 Suborbital questions and Ansari X-Prize in relation to demographic information (gender/ age group and educational level) ofthe interviewees 54 4.71 Knowledge of suborbital flights in relation to gender 55 4.72 Knowledge of suborbital flights in relation to age groups 56 4.73 Knowledge of suborbital flights in relation to level of education 58 4.74 Suborbital flights in 3 years in relation to gender 61 4.75 Suborbital flights in 3 years in relation to age groups 62 4.76 Suborbital flights in 3 years in relation to level of education 64 4.77 Interest in taking a suborbital ride in relation to gender 67 4.78 Interest in taking a suborbital ride in relation to age groups 68 4.79 Interest in taking a suborbital ride in relation to education levels 70 4.8 Would the crowded quarters make a difference in decision making process to take a suborbital ride or not?/ gender 73 4.81 Would the crowded quarters make a difference in decision making process to take a suborbital ride or not/ age groups 75 4.82 Would the crowded quarters make a difference in decision making process to take a suborbital ride or not/ level of education 77 4.9 Habitat Flights 4.91 Have the interviewees heard ofthe space tourists? 81 4.92 Do the interviewees think that the travel to an inflatable space habitat will happen by 2010? 82 4.93 Interest in visiting a habitat in space 83 4.94 Would the crowded quarters (inflatable habitat) make a difference in decision making process to visit a habitat in space 84 would for a ride/ males vs. females 86 5 . 1 Amount the interviewees pay zero-gravity 5.2 The total amount the interviewees would pay for a zero-gravity ride 88 5.3 Amount the interviewees would pay for a suborbital ride/ males vs. females 89 5.4 The total amount the interviewees would pay for a suborbital ride 91 5.5 Amount the interviewees would pay for a 3-day visit to an orbital habitat 92 93 5.6 Concerns about the zero gravity ride 5.7 Concerns about suborbital ride 95 5.8 Concerns about 3-day visit to space habitat 97 5.9 Considerations for inflatable habitat accommodations 98 6. 1 Activities to do during any part of space trip 99 6.2 What year will commercial space tourism occur 100 6.3 Conclusions and recommendations 101 Bibliography 105 Appendices 112 Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Appendix D Appendix E Appendix F Appendix G Appendix H Appendix I Appendix J Appendix K Appendix L Appendix M Appendix N Appendix O Appendix P Abstract In December of 2004, RIT Professor CJ. Wallington and students in the space tourism development course (winter 2004/ 2005) conducted a space tourism market survey. The target markets for these surveys were comprised of acquaintances (including family) of RIT students who took the space tourism course. Professor Wallington was interested in finding out if the student's families, friends, and acquaintances would want to take a space trip. The survey was comprised of twenty-one questions that focused on gathering demographic information, knowledge of and interest in zero- gravity, suborbital flights, and low earth orbit habitats. The results of this survey were never tallied and analyzed. There is a need for the analysis of this data and further expansion of the original research. The findings of this research helped in identifying market needs and wants with regards to space tourism. It was revealed that the interviewees place great attention to safety, comfort, and health. The results also revealed the preferred potential price for zero-gravity flights, suborbital flights, and visits to low earth orbit (LEO) habitats that this potential market would be willing to pay. Chapter 1 1.1 Background Space tourism is tourism oriented to space and space travel. The beginnings of space tourism started in 1950s when the Hayden Planetarium in New York started booking people for space flights to the Moon. In the 1960s, Pan American Airlines began booking people for the trip to the Moon. The team from Society Expeditions travel agency first developed the term "space tourism" in 1980s. (Berinstein, 2002, pg. 32 and 33) There are currently 4 categories of space tourism: terrestrial space tourism, high altitude, suborbital and orbital. Orbital space tourism era started with Dennis Tito who became the first space tourist in 2001. Mark Shuttleworth became the second space tourist in the year 2002. (Space Adventures) Greg Olsen became the third space tourist in October 2005. Anousheh Ansari, an American female of Iranian descent, became the fourth space tourist in September 2006. (Wikipedia, 2006) tourist" She also became the first "female space (Pasztor, 2006, p. B.l). Today, orbital space tourism stands for the leisure trips to the International Space Stations (ISS). (Space Adventures) 20th The century has been marked with great technological achievements in the field of rocketry. These achievements enabled the start of space flights in 1950s (NASA/JPL, The Solar System).