Space Tourism and the Space Economy: The Ex Terra Podcast
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0HqAuj3K9lZTdK4283cOoz?si=90K_F4VGQh2OJy_FZDfu9Q
When you hear the phrase "Space Tourism", you probably think about buying a very expensive ride on a spaceship … maybe even a visit to the International Space Station. But there is far more to Space Tourism than actually traveling to space.
Our guest on this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast is John Spencer, Founder of The Space Tourism Society. Spencer is also an "Outer Space Architect, Author and Space/Future Themed Experience Designer and Developer".
Spencer founded the Space Tourism Society (STS) in 1996. With Karen L. Rugg he wrote the first book on space tourism published (2004) in the United States called Space Tourism—Do You Want to Go? He coined the term Space Experience Economy (SEE) in 2005 and has been quoted in over 200 TV and radio shows, newspaper and magazine articles on space tourism.
Over $300 million has been invested in building his space/future/Sci-Fi themed concepts to date. He is currently designing and developing a proposed $2B Mars World attraction/resort for Las Vegas, and has a concept for a spacefaring yacht.
Almost as many people a year visit space themed facilities (19.2M) as visit the two Universal Studio movie/theme parks (19.9M)
Space Themed Facilities:
National Air and Space Museum 8,000,000
Disney’s EPCOT’s “Mission Space” 3,900,000
California Science Center 2,400,000
Kennedy Space Center 1,500,000
Intrepid Sea & Space Museum 1,100,000
Johnson Space Center 1,000,000
Space Camp 850,000
Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum 300,000
Pima Air and Space Museum 170,000
Total 19,200,000
Proposals for over $2 billion in space and Mars themed attractions are currently in the works just in the United States. More on international ventures. Since 2011 over $300 million has been spent for new facilities to display the 4 retired NASA Space Shuttles. The California Science Center in Los Angeles will spend an additional $270M in building a space pavilion to house the Endeavour Space Shuttle stack vertical with all real component. Opening around 2024. And $190 million has been invested in the U.S. to build space simulation attractions since 2003. This includes $120M for the Disney EPCOT Center “Mission Space” attraction and the new Kennedy Space Center’s $70M “Shuttle Launch Experience” attraction.
The Space Tourism Society recently completed a virtual Space Tourism Conference, and plans to hold an in-person event in, likely in southern California, in 2022.