![]() ![]() ![]() These publicized missions have received their share of online backlash. In fact, it seems as though citizens, stuck at home on Earth, have grown resentful of billionaire-led space tours. A majority also think that NASA should prioritize monitoring the Earth’s climate and atmosphere for asteroids and debris above sending manned trips to outer space. Most Americans want the US to remain a leader in space exploration, but a Pew Research poll from 2018 found that the public was evenly divided on the future prospect of space tourism. This time, the public interest in space is driven less by spectacle and more by the agendas of highly influential billionaires.ĭespite all the recent hullabaloo, regular people don’t seem to be very excited about the cosmos. It’s unclear, however, if these advancements will be met with the cultural fervor that made the last Space Age feel so distinct. Russia and Europe are also planning to launch a rover to Mars next year, while South Korea, with the help of NASA, is scheduled to send its first mission to the moon.Ī post shared by Jeff Bezos new era of space technology and exploration is upon the world, one that could rival the 1960s in historical significance and magnitude. The two countries have agreed to collaborate on lunar missions, and are looking to build a research station on or around the moon. Russia and China are close behind, although the latter’s wealthiest citizens have kept a much lower profile. It’s not just America and its billionaires, however, that are clamoring to make gains in space. This year, the agency has plans to launch a space station into the moon’s orbit, and will collaborate with SpaceX to send an astronaut crew to the International Space Station. The US government, too, seems interested in expanding NASA’s foothold in space. Investments in space startups nearly doubled from 2018 to 2019, according to analytics firm BryceTech, and space companies raised a record $14.5 billion in 2021, reported CNBC. Some industry experts say the success of privately funded endeavors like SpaceX and Blue Origin has piqued the attention of private investors. (Musk himself was not on board billionaire Jared Isaacman, who helped finance the mission, was.) And in September, Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched a four-person civilian crew into Earth orbit for a three-day journey. His rocket, carrying three other space tourists, surpassed Branson’s distance to reach the Kármán line, which is internationally recognized as the edge of space. Fellow billionaire and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos flew out 10 days later on a 10-minute tour. In July, Richard Branson of Virgin Galactic, accompanied by five passengers, took a 90-minute trip about 50 miles into Earth’s atmosphere. Last year was a turning point for commercial space tourism and exploration, with various billionaire-backed ventures embarking on recreational spaceflights. Some believe we are at “the dawn of a new space age.” 2021 was a big year for rocket launches, with activity nearly rivaling that of 1957, when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 and kick-started the space race. The Webb took over a decade of work and billions of dollars, but the timing of its launch coincided with a record-breaking year of space activity, in addition to growing cultural and commercial interest. There, the largest telescope in history is stationed to observe the cosmos, allowing astronomers to look farther out in space and further back in time. ![]() On January 24, the James Webb Space Telescope arrived at its final destination, about a million miles away from Earth. ![]()
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