european space tourist

Space for Tourism

• ESA-STAR REFERENCE 686
• Activity Feasibility Study, Demonstration Project
• Opening date 25-04-2022
• Closing date 31-12-2023

***ESA HAS DECIDED TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR THIS ‘ANNOUNCEMENT OF OPPORTUNITIES’ UNTIL THE END OF DECEMBER 2023. ALL PITCHES ARE EVALUATED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND MUST BE SUBMITTED BEFORE THE 31ST OF DECEMBER 2023.***

Opportunity.

Tourism is a large contributor to many national economies; according to statistics prior to the pandemic, the sector would directly contribute on average with 4.4% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and 21.5% of service exports in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries [ OECD Tourism trend Policies, 2020 ].

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the actions and countermeasures being undertaken to limit its spread, have altogether triggered an unprecedented crisis in the tourism economy, whose impact is spreading throughout the entire tourism ecosystem and beyond, with foreseen long-lasting societal and economic effects. Beyond the tangible and short-term consequences to the tourism sector, the pandemic is expected to have a knock-on effect on travellers’ behaviour. Travellers will need to be reassured of safety during travels as well as at their destinations. To accomplish this, a concerted set of actions involving both private and public sector has to be undertaken to elevate new safety, health and hygiene standards, and give visibility of well-thought processes to objectively assess those. 

Despite the challenges, such crisis creates the opportunity to rethink tourism and promote a structural transformation of this sector towards a stronger, more sustainable, and resilient tourism economy. Connectivity and digital transformation are required for the sector to initiate such a purposeful innovative journey while responding to the COVID-19 challenges. Initial indications are that the current crisis is accelerating the digital transformation of the sector. Digital solutions are being developed to create live tourism experiences and will be increasingly deployed to support virtual experience for remote destinations. 

In this context, ESA has issued this Announcement of Opportunity (AO) to support the development of space-based services enabled by innovative digital solutions to encourage tourism and travel industry in their transition to the new normal.

ESA has been in discussions with key stakeholders in the tourism sector to understand and capture their needs. These include the Municipality of Florence, CapsuleT - Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Mirpuri Foundation, Visit Flanders, Andermatt Swiss Alps, Expedia Group, Global Himalayan Expediation (GHE), Entertainment Cluster & Welcome City Lab - Paris&Co, Athens International Airport, World Tourism Forum Lucerne, the Municipality of Athens, the Institute of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (INSETE).

Download our webinar sides and the scope document in the Downloads section to learn more about this opportunity.

Key Focus Areas

Examples of focus areas relevant to the AO are potential space technologies to accelerate good practices towards sustainable development that will help the tourism sector reach the Agenda 2030 , such as:

Use of digital and connectivity solutions to help the sector embrace new business models required in post – COVID 19, focusing on: 

• Shift towards unmanned transportation, increased use of automation and robots
• Support rural tourism by promoting remote experiences
• Provide always-on/ everywhere connectivity to travellers
• Support traveller’s experience sharing and active engagement with rural communities

Seamless travel:

Technology and services to ensure transparency and traceability according to relevant protocols (including border controls) and enable efficient implementation of new regulations.

Safe travel:

Applications and services to help tourism sector become more resilient to natural/man-made disasters and health issues. Catering for new customers’ behaviours, the sector needs to embrace new solutions and business models to promote the safety of the destination. This is expected to be largely supported by seamless (always-on) connectivity and digitalisation. Always-on connectivity will re-ensure travellers of assistance for unforeseen circumstances; digital solutions will be required to provide factual evidence of safety of local destinations including social distancing; fast response tools and services have to be further developed in order to respond to various types of emergencies (including medical). New solutions are also required to monitor spread of new diseases at various scales - from regional/ cities to touristic resort settings. 

Guide investments and measuring impact  

• Public and private investments need to support the tourism sector and keep on innovating and transforming. Major investments will be needed to make structural and physical changes to address health requirements and respond to changed travel behaviours.
• Measure the net impact of tourism - focusing on rural tourism (tourism as a catalyst to sustainably and responsibly support rural community’s upliftment) as well as investments and planning, including tourism seasonality, trends monitoring, managing and mitigating risks. 

About The Opportunity

ESA will support Feasibility Studies and Demonstration Projects under this ‘Announcement of Opportunities’:

• Feasibility Studies will allow successful teams to analyse, design and plan their intended service. 
• Demonstration Projects will allow successful teams to put their intended service into practice. Teams will test their service in the market by running a pilot with significant users and, by the end of the project, the service should be operational.

Value Of Space 

Satellite Earth Observation (SatEO)  

SatEO data (both SAR and optical) can be used to monitor and plan infrastructure (e.g. buildings, road network, parking lots, airports) as well as identifying visitors’ patterns. SatEO can also be used to monitor land cover changes over time (e.g. in both rural and city level, wild habitats, forest, land, water, etc.). 

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (SatNav) 

SatNav is essential to track and trace tourists and search and rescue teams. SatNav can also enable visitor flow-monitoring and location-based services to geo-localise points of interest in the tourist maps and to enable geo-fencing and time-fencing features. In addition, GNSS receivers and sensors can be installed in the tourist sites to be used as complementary ground surface deformation measurement points to EO data.

Satellite Communications (SatCom) 

SatCom is essential to ensure communications for any of the above data services enabled whenever the terrestrial communications are absent or not reliable. In particular, hybrid 5G space/ terrestrial communication networks may be required to support digital solutions e.g. in the field of mobile immersive applications.

It is mandatory to develop solutions based on at least one space asset . If relevant, other technologies such as Augmented/ Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning, can be integrated in the end-to-end solution.

What We Offer

We offer funding and support to companies, both for business case assessment and for the development of new, space-based services.

Our offer includes:

• Technical & commercial guidance
• Access to our network and partners
• Use of the ESA brand for your service
• Zero-equity funding

ESA will bear up to 50% of the eligible total project or study costs . The remainder must be financed by the Tenderer through private sector directly and/or indirectly via co-funding and/or by the users based on terms and conditions to be agreed upon.

Activities by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises or research institutions can be funded up to 80% by the Agency, depending on the funding level authorised by the related National Delegation(s) .

Who Can Apply

For this call, companies residing in the following Member States will be eligible to apply: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom . 

The ‘Space for Tourism’ thematic call is issued under both the ARTES BASS and 5G Programme lines , the latter specifically subject to technical/business justifications on the use of hybrid SatCom – terrestrial (wired or wireless) and 5G networks. Greek companies' participation is limited to the 5G SPL only, and subject to Greek National Delegation approval .

How To Apply

• Register your team on esa star Registration ( https://esastar-emr.sso.esa.int ) today! If your team is made up of more than one company or organisation, each member will need to register.
• Scroll down to the ‘Downloads’ section of this webpage to download all of the official documents. Official documents include a document explaining the Scope of this opportunity and the past 2 webinars hosted by ESA.
• Download the Activity Pitch Questionnaire template  and Submit your pitch as instructed in the  Activity Pitch Questionnaire  guidelines , through the form online.​
• ESA will evaluate your Pitch. Teams whose Pitches are positively evaluated will be invited to prepare an Outline Proposal and then a Full Proposal. Teams must obtain a Letter of Authorisation from their respective National Delegation before submitting a Full Proposal. Contact details of all National Delegates can be found here: National Delegation(s) .

26 January 2022, 11:00 CET - 12:30 CET

• Davide Coppola (ESA)
• Mina Syriou (ESA)

Guest speakers:

• Martin Barth - World Tourism Forum Lucerne (WTFL)
• Elena Cholakova - World Tourism Forum Lucerne (WTFL)
• Ana Agostinho - Mirpuri Foundation
• Alfred Schumm - World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
• Martina von Münchhausen - World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
• Paras Loomba – Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE)
• Katerina Saridaki – CapsuleT, Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH)
• Steven Valcke – Toerisme Vlaanderen – VISIT FLANDERS
• Thomas Landis – Andermatt Swiss Alps AG
• Laurent Queige – Entertainment Cluster & Welcome City Lab  - Paris&Co

07 September 2022, 15:00 CEST - 16:00 CEST

• Mia Jafari – Interlak Hub & Programmes Manager, Emirates Group
• Paras Loomba – Founder at Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE)
• Vassiliki Mavrokefalou - Director Market Management at Expedia Group

View all open calls with Commercialisation focus

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First Austrian Space Tourist’s Historic Virgin Galactic Flight

A 61-year-old Austrian entrepreneur Franz Haider became the first Austro space tourist, achieving astronaut status on Friday evening. The journey, which began 17 years ago with the purchase of a $200,000 ticket, culminated in a breathtaking flight to the edge of space with Virgin Galactic, the pioneering space company founded by British billionaire Richard Branson.

Haider, hailing from the Waldviertel region and known as “Astronaut 025” in Virgin Galactic’s records, embarked on the “Galactic 06” mission from Spaceport America in New Mexico, USA. The mission was a realization of a long-held dream for Haider, who bought his ticket back in 2007. After years of anticipation and numerous delays, clear weather finally allowed for the mission to proceed, offering Haider and his fellow passengers an experience of a lifetime.

The flight commenced with the carrier aircraft “VMS Eve” taking the spaceship “VSS Unity,” resembling a private jet, to an altitude of approximately 15 kilometers. From there, “VSS Unity” soared to around 90 kilometers above the Earth. This altitude, as defined by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), qualifies the passengers to be listed as astronauts.

Aboard the “VSS Unity,” a slightly more than 18-meter-long spacecraft, Haider, three other space tourists, and two pilots experienced the thrill of a near-vertical climb, accelerating to up to 3,600 kilometers per hour, thrice the speed of sound. This intense ascent brought them to a state of near weightlessness, a surreal experience as the craft passed the apex of its trajectory upside down.

Inside the cabin, cameras captured the euphoric moments of the crew unstrapping themselves and floating freely, savoring a few minutes of weightlessness. At the peak of their journey, they were approximately 89 kilometers above the Earth. The joy and relief were palpable in the cabin, a testament to the success of the mission and the fulfillment of their long-awaited dream. The journey concluded with a smooth glide back to the spaceport, where they landed at around 6:56 p.m., welcomed by the applause of numerous onlookers.

Reflecting on his journey, Haider shared with APA his unwavering belief in the mission, despite the years of waiting. His ticket, purchased at a significant $200,000 (183,604.15 euros at the current exchange rate), is now a historic artifact, as prices for new buyers have more than doubled.

The environmental impact of such ventures, as calculated by the Austrian Space Forum (ÖWF), is comparable to the per capita emissions of a transatlantic flight. Gernot Grömer, the head of ÖWF, in a press release, highlighted the growing market in low Earth orbit, forecasting a significant increase in annual suborbital flights by 2031. This new era of space travel is not only about the state space programs but also about the burgeoning private sector, including privately run space stations expected in the next decade.

Virgin Galactic’s journey to this landmark event has been filled with years of development, challenges, and setbacks. However, the successful space venture of “VSS Unity” in 2018, followed by a team flight with Branson in 2021, paved the way for commercial flights. Since its inaugural tourist flight in July last year, Virgin Galactic has been steadily advancing in the space tourism industry, with “Galactic 06” marking the first flight of the year. This historic flight not only adds a new chapter to Virgin Galactic’s story but also heralds a new age of space exploration and tourism, led by private enterprise.

• Innovation and Technology

European journeys through space

As a member of ESA, the European Space Agency, Germany is actively involved in space exploration missions . 

Germany is home to some important European Space Agency (ESA) sites. At the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, for example, astronauts train for future missions.  

Darmstadt – home to ESOC and EUMETSAT  

The centre of European space travel is located in a city in Germany which is more famous for its Technical University and art nouveau treasures: Darmstadt. It is home to ESOC, the European Space Operations Centre, which handles satellite control. EUMETSAT, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, is a key ESA partner and also has its headquarters in Darmstadt. But Germany’s contribution to the success of space missions isn’t just limited to these sites. 

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Ariane 6 rocket engine factory  

Lampoldshausen is located in the small district of Hardthausen am Kocher in Baden-Württemberg and is the location of some infrastructure which is unique in the whole of Europe. It is here that the engines for Ariane 6 rockets are produced. Ariane 6 is Europe’s new heavy launch vehicle, and is planned to go into service by the end of 2023 if possible. The remarkable thing about Lampoldshausen is that the entire upper stage of the rocket can be tested here. Everything is tried, tested and analysed, from using the software through to igniting the fuel. The site in Germany aims to help Europe take the next step towards exploring space with Ariane 6. Germany is covering just under a quarter of the total cost of the Ariane 6 development programme and has several innovative businesses which are involved in the project. 

Missions to Jupiter and the Moon  

While Ariane 6 rockets are designed to reach a range of destinations, the ESA’s JUICE mission set off for Jupiter in April 2023. It carries a probe to explore the conditions in which planets form and life can emerge. German research institutions have also developed many of the critical technical instruments. Through the ESA, Germany is also playing a key role in the Artemis mission to the Moon. The majority of the service and propulsion module of the Orion spacecraft was build in Germany, which is why it bears the name “ Bremen ”. Technology from Germany will also be used in future Artemis missions. For example, sensors made by the Jena-Optronik company will handle Orion’s navigation in space. In future, the sensors will also make it possible to navigate one of the mission’s moon landers. 

© www.deutschland.de  

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To the moon and beyond: what 2022 holds for space travel

From lunar missions to anti-asteroid defence systems, there are plenty of exciting scientific developments to look forward to

T his year promises to be an important one for space exploration, with several major programmes reaching the launch pad over the next 12 months. The US is to return to the moon, undertaking a set of missions intended to establish a lunar colony there in a few years. China is expected to complete its Tiangong space station while Europe and Russia will attempt to land spacecraft on Mars, having failed at every previous attempt. India, South Korea and Japan are also scheduled to put a number of missions into space.

Particular interest is going to focus on Nasa’s mighty new space launch system (SLS). This is the most powerful rocket it has ever designed and has been built to carry astronauts to the moon and beyond as part of the agency’s Artemis deep space exploration programme. With these missions, Nasa intends to reopen the solar system to investigation by humans – rather than robot probes – and regularly carry astronauts to the lunar surface.

The programme’s first launch is scheduled for February when an SLS rocket – standing more than 300ft high – will carry an unmanned Orion capsule on a trajectory that will enter a highly elliptical orbit round the moon. At its closest, the spaceship will sweep within 62 miles of the lunar surface before soaring 40,000 miles above it, a distance that will take it further from Earth than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown.

Crucially, Orion – designed to carry between four and six astronauts when fully operational – will be fitted with a European service module that will provide the capsule’s power and propulsion for manoeuvring in orbit. This will give its manufacturer – the European Space Agency – the opportunity to become a key partner in future Artemis missions. If February’s mission succeeds, a crewed trip around the moon will take place in 2024 and this will be followed by a lunar landing in 2025 – a gap of 53 years since Apollo 17, the last crewed moon mission, touched down on the Taurus-Littrow valley in December 1972.

This time the crew will include at least one woman and the mission will mark the beginning of a programme aimed at establishing a lunar colony where astronauts would work on months-long missions and develop technologies that could be used by future colonies on Mars . A prime target for the first lunar outpost is Shackleton crater, near the moon’s south pole, which is believed to hold reservoirs of ice. Water will not only provide precious sustenance for astronauts, it can be exploited as a source of hydrogen and oxygen – by electrolysis – that can be combined as rocket fuel.

As part of its preparations to establish a lunar colony, Nasa will also start a massive programme of robot missions through the agency’s $2.6bn commercial lunar payload services (CLPS) initiative. This will involve sending a flotilla of robot spacecraft to the moon, with the first missions beginning this year. Built by private companies with Nasa backing, these probes will attempt to map underground water deposits, study the moon’s deep interior and release robot rovers to investigate the lunar surface. Fledgling space company Astrobotic will send its newly designed Peregrine lander to Lacus Mortis – “the lake of death” – a plain of basaltic rock in the north-eastern part of the moon. It will carry 11 different payloads of instruments and will be followed by another US company, Intuitive Machines, which is sending a spacecraft carrying six payloads to Oceanus Procellarum, the Ocean of Storms.

A further 12 CLPS missions are scheduled for the next three years, though head of Nasa science, Thomas Zurbuchen, has warned that these privately funded efforts each face a high risk of failure. As many as half could go wrong, he said recently.

For good measure, Russia and India are both planning to launch their own lunar landers next year, while South Korea is scheduled to place a satellite in moon orbit to study its mineral composition.

The hunt for alien life will take a step further this year with the launch of the joint European-Russian ExoMars mission , which will land a robot rover on the Oxia Planum, a 125-mile-wide clay-bearing plain in the planet’s northern hemisphere. The rover – named after Rosalind Franklin, the British chemist and DNA pioneer – will be fitted with a drill capable of probing several feet below the Martian surface, where it is hoped primitive lifeforms may survive or at least the remnants of extinct organisms. The 660lb rover was built by Airbus Defence and Space, at the company’s UK facility in Stevenage. Launch is scheduled for 22 September and touchdown is expected on 10 June 2023.

Hopes of success for the mission are guarded, however, as neither Russia nor Europe has had any luck in landing on Mars. Nineteen Russian and Soviet missions and two European bids to land on the red planet have all failed – including Europe’s Schiaparelli lander , which was intended to be a trial run for the current ExoMars mission but which crashed on the planet in 2016.

Easily the most spectacular mission to the asteroids will be Nasa’s bid to test an anti-asteroid defence system for Earth. Launched last year, the double asteroid redirection test (Dart) spacecraft will crash into the moonlet Dimorphos in September. Hurtling into its target at 15,000mph, the 1,340lb probe – the size of a small car – will try to change the orbit of Dimorphos, a lump of rock the size of a football stadium, around its parent asteroid, Didymos.

If successful, Nasa and other space agencies will be encouraged to follow up the mission by developing craft that could deflect a larger asteroid heading towards Earth – and so avert an Armageddon -style impact, say astronomers. Should an asteroid the size of Dimorphos crash on Earth, it would trigger an explosion equivalent to 400-600 megatonnes of TNT. “A city like Manhattan would be completely obliterated,” Elena Adams, Dart’s systems engineer, told the journal Science . “This is to demonstrate a technique to save the world.”

Nasa has plans for several other asteroid missions next year, including the launch of the probe Psyche. Scheduled for lift-off in August, the spacecraft will visit an asteroid called 16 Psyche that is thought to be the leftover core of a planet. This vast chunk of nickel and iron is the remains of a violent collision with another astronomical object that stripped off the planet’s outer layers and left its metallic innards exposed. Studying 16 Psyche will give scientists an unprecedented opportunity to examine a planetary core. It will also afford them a chance to explore a new type of world – one that is made of metal.

Human spaceflight

Boeing will attempt to get its Starliner crew capsule into orbit so that it can begin to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS). A 2019 flight failed to reach the station and another attempt last year was called off at the last minute when fuel valves failed to open. Boeing now plans to launch a crewless Starliner in early 2022, followed by a test flight with astronauts later in the year. The capsule will then be used – along with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spaceship – on a rota to ferry astronauts to the ISS.

For its part, China is expected to complete its space station Tiangong – Heavenly Palace – after launching the first of its three main modules, Tianhe, in April . Modules Mengtian and Wentian will be added this year. China has said it hopes to keep its space station – which is considerably smaller than the ISS – inhabited continuously by three astronauts for at least a decade. A key task for crewmen will be to service the Xuntian space telescope, which will be launched in 2024 and which will orbit in formation with the Tiangong station. Fitted with a mirror roughly the same size as the Hubble space telescope, Xuntian’s tasks will include investigations of dark matter and dark energy as well as galaxy formation and evolution.

Space tourism

Blue Origin (founded by Jeff Bezos) and Virgin Galactic (set up by Richard Branson) both succeeded in launching maiden sub-orbital flights last year and both say they expect to begin regular missions in 2022, offering groups of tourists a few minutes of weightlessness before returning to Earth.

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European Tourist Cities in Connotative Google Space

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• Josef A. Mazanec 3  

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The purpose of this Chapter is twofold. On conceptual level it makes the reader critically aware of the many-faceted definitions and interpretations of ‚destination image‘. Being a city manager or a student of tourism and leisure does not matter. Every reader is advised to carefully choose when commissioning or conducting an empirical study on destination imges. Sometimes theoretical concepts are being broadened in scope up to a degree where they threaten to become meaningless buzzwords. On technical level the Chapter provides tools for exploiting the Web content offered in the roughly 2 billion pages of the domain characterised by one or more of the search items tourism, tourist, travel, or trip.

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Mazanec, J.A. (2010). European Tourist Cities in Connotative Google Space. In: Mazanec, J.A., Wöber, K.W. (eds) Analysing International City Tourism. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-09416-7_11

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Everything you need to know about space tourism

Posted: May 9, 2024 | Last updated: May 9, 2024

Between floating in weightlessness, witnessing 16 sunrises a day and gazing into the infinite void, space travel sure sounds like an out-of-this-world experience. And now, it’s no longer a thing of the future.

That’s right, soon interstellar awe will be open to (almost) anyone, as billionaires Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk are pushing the space tourism industry to a higher orbit.

What is space tourism?

Well, it’s almost like regular tourism: travel for recreational and leisure purposes… but in outer space. Some organizations like the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and the Citizens in Space project prefer to use the terms “personal spaceflight” or “citizen space exploration,” though.

In a nutshell, it’s space travel for non-astronauts.

Who can travel to space?

Anyone ! Well, that is, anyone with enough money. No need to have any previous science qualifications or NASA training, especially since a trained crew will escort tourists on their galactic journey.

According to Virgin Galactic, future space tourists will be between 10 and 90 years old, and come from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds.

The only thing you need? The desire to explore the universe!

What is orbital travel?

The main difference between orbital and suborbital flights lies in the trajectory and speed of the vessels.

To go into orbit, a rocket or spaceship needs to follow a path that goes around the Earth at the very fast minimum speed of 7.7 kilometres (4.8 miles) per second, in order to keep circling and never fall back down.

It allows astronauts and travellers to stay in space for extended periods of time, hence it is for now the preferred type of flight.

What is suborbital travel?

A suborbital flight , which is what Branson and Bezos did, “just” requires enough energy to blast off to space and then naturally fall back to Earth, making a huge arc.

It requires less energy and is less costly than orbital flights, thus opening doors for relatively affordable space tourism in the future.

Passengers would experience up to six minutes of weightlessness and a grandiose view.

How do you prepare?

Although Virgin Galactic doesn’t explicitly list its physical requirements, they did say astronauts would have to pass certain medical checkups and training programs. Blue Origin, on the other hand, has said that training for suborbital trips will only take a day.

And of course, any space tourist will also have to pass a series of thorough tests to determine whether they’re fit to fly up there.

Once in space, you may have to perform small bouts of exercise to prevent muscle wasting , which takes place after just seven days.

What is lunar tourism?

As its name hints, lunar tourism is the project of sending paying travellers to the moon. The first one could happen as soon as 2023, and would consist of a loop flight.

But three types of lunar tourism could be available in the near future: circumlunar trajectory, lunar orbit, and even lunar landing.

How cool would it be to say to someone, upon returning from a lunar vacation, “I’ve literally loved you to the moon and back”?

Where does space tourism take place?

Admittedly, space is a vast place. So where exactly would tourists go ?

First, any space travel begins with the Kármán line , which lies at 100 kilometres (62 miles) above sea level and is commonly accepted as the limit between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space.

Then, there are several options: orbital, suborbital, and lunar space tourism.

Have touristic space travels already occurred?

Yes! From 2001 to 2009, the Russian space agency and the U.S.-based space tourism company Space Adventures took seven (very wealthy) members of the public for several orbital space travels to the International Space Station.

The flights took place aboard the famous spacecraft Soyuz but stopped in 2010, since the crew of actual astronauts grew bigger and left no more seats available for paying space tourists.

Who were the first space tourists?

The American businessman Dennis Tito became officially the first space tourist in April 2001, when he stayed for seven days on the International Space Station.

He was followed by six multimillionaire fellows from various countries: South African entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth, American scientist Gregory Olsen, Iranian engineer Anousheh Ansari (the first female space tourist), Hungarian-American computer programmer Charles Simonyi, British video game mogul Richard Garriott, and Canadian businessman Guy Laliberté.

On July 11, 2021, billionaire Richard Branson, along with three Virgin Galactic employees and two pilots, reached an altitude of 85 kilometres (53 miles) above Earth aboard his Virgin Galactic rocket plane, the Unity. Less than 10 days later, on July 20, the world’s richest man, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, briefly entered space on Blue Origin , his private space company’s reusable rocket. He was joined by his younger brother Mark, Dutch teenager Oliver Daemen, and Wally Funk, who, at 82 years old, became the oldest astronaut.

Who would be the space tourism “agencies”?

Unlike past tourism experiments, which took place aboard vessels sent off for scientific purposes, future travels will happen on private companies’ flights set up solely for space tourism.

Those pioneering aerospace companies are Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic ; SpaceX, founded by Tesla co-founder Elon Musk ; and Blue Origin , created by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

When will space tourism happen?

Sooner than you think. According to Forbes , Virgin Galactic’s successful trip means the company could start sending civilians up into space as soon as early 2022. Likewise, Blue Origin, which has a Federal Aviation Administration licence for human space travel through August 2021, could officially enter the space tourism game by early 2022.

How much will it cost?

It’s not exactly clear at the moment, but there have been some indications. For example, Virgin Galactic began selling ticket reservations for US$250,000 and sold roughly 600, before a test crash in 2014 brought sales to a halt. They’re expected to start selling tickets again in 2022, but at a much higher price.

It was reported in 2018 that seats on Bezos’s Blue Origin would also cost in the ballpark of US$200,000 to US$300,000, but that could change given how high demand is. At a recent auction, the winning bid for a seat aboard the company’s first spaceflight was a whopping US$28 million .

The bottom line is, those hoping to take a trip around the stars will either need to know someone or have hundreds of thousands (likely even millions) of dollars to spare.

How do we get there?

The development of space tourism vehicles is still an ongoing project.

But a few options already exist, like Virgin Galactic’s spaceplanes that can carry up to eight people, or SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft , launched by the Falcon Heavy rocket.

Blue Origin’s New Shepard looks more like a regular rocket that takes off and lands vertically, but also claims to offer the biggest windows of any spacecraft—a good selling point. It comfortably sits six people and is fully autonomous, meaning no pilot onboard.

What does it feel like?

Needless to say, travelling to space is no walk in the park.

You’re eager to experience the joys of floating in microgravity? You better also get prepared to endure several physical discomforts: nausea and sea sickness, dizziness, headache, disorientation, puffy face, and bloodshot eyes.

But astronauts and previous space tourists agree that the body adjusts fairly quickly, getting used to its spatial environment in about three days.

Is it safe?

Safety is a reasonable concern , considering the many hazards involved in space travel: the probability of a crash, exposure to cosmic radiation, and even unknown dangers that could emerge with this new industry. But here is the real question for any adventurer: is the thrill worth the risk?

What is the food like?

For many tourists, food is a crucial criterion for a successful vacation. But outer space is no place for gourmets, at least not yet. Interstellar tourists can expect to enjoy mostly canned, modified, and pre-packaged meals (such as space burritos and freeze-dried ice cream). But soon, thanks to NASA’s veggie farm , space tourists might be able to savour space-grown salads.

What about the accommodations?

Orbital space travel allows you to stay up there for a few days or even weeks. At that point, you might want to stretch your legs outside of the spacecraft, right? Well, in the future, space stations could be used as hotels: the Genesis inflatable habitats by Bigelow Aerospace and the Space Island Project are existing examples. Make sure to book a room with a view of planet Earth!

How to pack a space suitcase?

Packing a suitcase for a trip through the cosmos is actually less of a headache than doing so for a weekend vacation on Earth. Just keep in mind that it’s impossible to do laundry in space, so pack clothes accordingly : stock up on underwear, light clothing (space station temperature is controlled at about 22 degrees Celsius, or 72 degrees Fahrenheit), and exercise outfits. Outerwear will be provided: an orange suit for takeoff and re-entry, and a white one for potential space strolls.

Is it eco-friendly?

With ecotourism being a growing trend and concern over the last few years, the question is legitimate. Well, bad news: space travel could have a negative impact by accelerating global warming . This would be caused by the black carbon released into the stratosphere after suborbital launches. But of course, entrepreneurs in the industry claim that the carbon footprint of space tourism would be minimal. The truth is, rockets emit 50 to 100 times more CO₂ per passenger than a regular flight. Considering that Virgin Galactic plans to do 400 trips per year, that’s a lot of CO₂ entering the atmosphere.

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Guided tours

Tours of the ESOC facilities are arranged by Wissenschaftsstadt Darmstadt Marketing GmbH.

Groups (20 people max.) can book their own tour. Individuals can join public guided tours. The minimum age for participants is 10 years.

Tours can be booked in German, English or other languages (please contact the office below for inquiries).

When do tours take place?

Mondays: 10:00 - 11:30; 12:00 - 13:30; 14:00 - 15:30 Wednesdays: 13:00 - 14:30; 15:00 - 16:30; 17:00 - 18:30 Fridays: 13:00 - 14:30; 15:00 - 16:30; 17:00 - 18:30

To find out the dates for the public guided tours, please contact Darmstadt Marketing, or click here .

What`s the price for a tour?

Public tours

Adults: €12.50 Concessions (pupils, students, unemployed, pensioners, people with disabilities with ID): €9.50

Prices per group (individual tours)

1.5-hour tours for whole groups in German: €100 1.5-hour tours for whole groups in another language: €115

(ESOC guided tours max. 20 participants.)

Foreign languages ​​German, English, French, Russian, Spanish

Further information

A list with all participants (names, first names & nationality) is required five working days before the tour and should be sent to Darmstadt Marketing. All participants have to identify themselves with a valid ID/passport on the day of the tour.

What does the tour include?

The tour includes a short introduction film and a visit of ESOC's operations facilities, e.g. the Main Control Room (MCR).

Participants can also take a look at the Rosetta engineering model and further mission specific control rooms. Information brochures will be handed out after the tour.

Registration and contact

To register for a tour and for any further questions, please contact  Wissenschaftsstadt Darmstadt Marketing GmbH

Wissenschaftsstadt Darmstadt Marketing GmbH Elisabethenstraße 20-22 64283 Darmstadt

Tel: +49-06151-13 45 11 Fax: +49-06151-13 47 58 58  Email: [email protected] 

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Data Space for tourism

• Digital Europe Programme
• Digital technology
• Digital transformation
• EU financing

Description

The objective is to develop a trusted and secure common European data space for tourism, which will provide the ecosystem with access to information, with an impact on productivity, greening and sustainability, innovative business models and upskilling. It will give the possibility of aligning offers to tourists’ expectations, adapting service proposals to new tourist groups, predicting a high influx of tourists, and thus allow planning of resources more efficiently, and creating new business opportunities.

The data space for tourism will be closely connected to other sectoral data spaces, such as the data space for cultural heritage. The work will build on the outcome of the two preparatory actions selected in the previous WP.

Expected outcome:

• Infrastructure for the Tourism Data Space.
• Connections between relevant local and national data ecosystems and initiatives at EU level.
• Establish connections with other sectoral data spaces.
• Guidance/training documents to involve stakeholders in sharing data.
• Exploitation of available data for better interconnection, exchange of information and reuse.
• Once the data space is operational, regular updates on usage data and troubleshooting.

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US company Booking Holdings added to European Union's list for strict digital scrutiny

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LONDON (AP) — Booking Holdings, the U.S. company that owns Booking.com and a number of other travel websites, has been added to the European Union’s list of companies now under heightened digital scrutiny.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, said Monday that it’s classing Booking Holdings as an online gatekeeper and that the company’s Booking.com hotel reservation site meets the threshold to be classed as a “core platform service” under the 27-nation bloc’s Digital Markets Act. The sweeping set of rules is designed to prevent Big Tech platforms from dominating online markets.

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European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager said the decision means that vacationers “will start benefiting from more choice and hotels will have more business opportunities.”

The company said it has “been working with the European Commission for some time as we anticipated today’s decision. We are reviewing their designation decision now and will continue to work constructively with them as we develop solutions to comply.”

Booking Holdings, based in Norwalk, Connecticut, owns a slew of other travel sites including Cheapflights, Kayak.com and Priceline as well as restaurant reservation platform OpenTable, but those platforms aren’t included in the EU decision.

Since the rules took effect earlier this year, half a dozen companies have already been classified as online gatekeepers. Some including Apple, Google and Meta are already facing investigations into whether they’re doing enough to comply.

Under the DMA, platforms must comply with a list of do’s and don’ts — such as not giving preference to their own services over rivals — under threat of hefty financial penalties or even breaking up businesses. The rules are designed to make digital markets “fairer” and more competitive by breaking up closed tech ecosystems that lock consumers into a single company’s products or services.

The commission said Booking.com “now has six months to comply with the relevant obligations under the DMA, offering more choice and freedom to end users and fair access of business users to the gatekeeper services.”

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Money blog: 600 new skyscrapers 'on way' for London, report finds

A reader seeks help as her employer of 24 years is bringing in a new clock-in system to pay her by the minute. Read this and all the latest personal finance and consumer news in the Money blog - and share your own problem or dispute below.

Monday 13 May 2024 19:57, UK

• Gen Z would rather deliver parcels than work in restaurants, Michel Roux Jr claims
• 600 new skyscrapers on way for London, report finds
• Money Problem: My workplace is bringing in new clock-in system to pay us by the minute - is this allowed?
• Free childcare applications open for new age band

Essential reads

• How to make sure your car passes its MOT
• 'Loud budgeting': The money-saving trend that has nothing to do with giving up your daily coffee
• How to avoid a holiday data roaming charge (while still using the internet)
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

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Young homebuyers are being forced to gamble with their retirement prospects by taking on ultra-long mortgages, according to a former pensions minister.

Sir Steve Webb described data - supplied by the Financial Conduct Authority to the Bank of England - as "shocking".

It suggests that more than one million new mortgages have been issued over the past three years with end dates beyond the state pension age.

The ex-Liberal Democrat MP, who is now a partner at the consultancy firm LCP, voiced fears that borrowers could be forced to raid their pension savings to clear their mortgage in a worst-case scenario.

Sir Steve saw the potential for harm in any case, as longer-term mortgages deprive people of a period running up to retirement when they could be mortgage-free and boosting their pension.

What does the data say? 

• 42% of new mortgages in the fourth quarter of 2023 - or 91,394 - had terms going beyond the state pension age;
• In the final quarter of last year, people aged 30 to 39 accounted for 30,943 new mortgages lasting beyond state pension age;
• People aged 40 to 49 accounted for 32,305;
• Under-30s made up 3,676 of these mortgages;
• People aged 50 to 59 accounted for 18,854, and there were 661 who were over 70.

Mortgage rates have been rising since the end of 2021 when the Bank of England began action to tackle rising inflation.

Taking home loans with longer maturity dates tends to be more attractive when interest rates are high, as monthly repayments are lower.

You can read more on this story below...

Waitrose has become the only supermarket to receive a royal warrant from the King. 

The recognition means the company has regularly provided the royal household with products for at least five years. 

It also means it can use the King's coat of arms on packaging, as part of advertising or on any stationary it creates. 

Waitrose was first granted a royal warrant in 1928 for supplying King George V with groceries and cleaning materials.

"We are honoured and proud that His Majesty has granted us his warrant," James Bailey, executive director of Waitrose, said. 

"It means the world to all of us, and our farmers and suppliers. There couldn’t be a more powerful symbol of our commitment to service and quality, and our determination to have the highest environmental and animal welfare standards." 

Waitrose was previously granted a royal warrant by the late Queen in 2002 and the King when he was Prince of Wales in 2010.

The Queen has also granted her first royal warrants, picking seven companies, including luxury department store Fortnum & Mason and the florist that supplied her coronation flowers, Shane Connolly & Company. 

The royal nod could be bad news for customers, however, with a brand finance expert telling Sky News that having a royal warrant allows firms to charge a price premium.

David Haigh said his company's research estimated this to be "between 10% and 25%".

A royal warrant says a company or a product is luxurious, high quality and sustainable, he explained. 

He estimates the scheme is "worth billions to UK companies and… therefore it's a very high value to the UK economy".

"And one of the reasons for that is that a lot of foreign tourists and buyers have a preference for royal warrant holder products. We found that 100% of Chinese buyers would pay in excess of 10% for a royal warrant holder product."

Read more on the Queen's choices here :

Gordon Ramsay's restaurants tripled losses to £3.4m last year, as the chef warned businesses in the industry were facing a "challenging" climate. 

The chef's group spent millions opening five new restaurants in 2023, including a Lucky Cat in Manchester, a Bread Street Kitchen in Battersea Power Station and a Street Pizza in Edinburgh. 

Sales at his wide-ranging establishments rose, however, by 21% to £95.6m in the year to August, according to The Telegraph. 

"It's been a really hard-fought year, but at the same time an exciting year, and in tough times it amazes me how strong and vibrant our industry is," Ramsay told the news outlet. 

"It's challenging out there and businesses are battling to stay afloat, rising costs, rent and food costs, multiple strikes. It's a battle" 

He was optimistic, however, saying there hasn't been "so much passion and vibrancy" in the industry since he opened his first restaurant in 1998.

"We've still got something wonderful to celebrate, and I truly believe the industry has never been so exciting."

Once the UK's favourite alcoholic beverage, beer's popularity seems to be fading among the younger drinking generation... 

In fact, only 30% of people aged 18 to 24 ever drink it, according to a study commissioned by the Society of Independent Brewers. 

Instead, younger drinkers say they prefer drinking spirits, wine and cider. 

Pub visits appear to be suffering as well, with almost a quarter of the 2,000 people surveyed saying they have never visited their local. 

SIBA's 2024 Craft Beer Report paints a more positive picture for small and independent brewers, however, with more than 55% of beer consumers saying they now drink "local craft beer". 

It also found average beer production volumes among independent breweries has risen by 14% since last year - a return to pre-pandemic levels for the first time in 4 years. 

"Demand for local, independently brewed beer in the UK is strong, with independent brewers reporting production volumes up by 14%, meaning they have returned to 2019 volumes again," Andy Slee, SIBA's chief executive, said. 

But, he said, it's time for "cautious optimism" only, with the industry still plagued with a number of issues. 

"The short-term issue for small independent breweries isn't demand; it's profitability, rising costs and financial pressures such as lingering COVID debt," he said. 

"Far too many breweries are simply trying to survive rather than thrive, so while there are many positives signs highlighted in the report, for now it's cautious optimism."

Earlier this year, our Money reporter Emily Mee explored whether the UK's big night out culture was dying out. 

Nightlife experts warned we're losing one club every two days at the moment - and if we stay on this trajectory, we will have none left by 2030.

You can read more about her findings here...

A total of 583 skyscrapers are "queuing up in the pipeline" to be built across central London, a development thinktank has said. 

That is more than double the 270 built in the past decade. 

In the eastern borough of Tower Hamlets alone, 71 tall buildings were completed in that time that time, the report by New London Architecture found. 

A further 24 were in the City of London and 27 in Canary Wharf and Isle of Dogs. 

The report said the rapid change has been fuelled by a "burgeoning demand" for office and residential space, overseas investment and a supporting planning environment. 

"Tall buildings have changed the face of London substantially over the last 20 years and will continue to do so - the pipeline that NLA has tracked means there is at least 10 years' supply that has already been defined," Peter Murray, the organisation's co-founder, said. 

"London's population continues to grow, passing the 10 million mark at the end of this decade.

"We'll still need tall buildings; and NLA will continue to keep a close watch on what's going on." 

Restaurants might only be able to open three or four days a week due to staffing problems, Michel Roux Jr has warned. 

Speaking to The Telegraph as he gears up to open his new restaurant Chez Rouz, the Michelin starred chef admitted the industry needs to change to accommodate flexible working hours. 

"Just because I worked 80 hours a week or more doesn't mean the next generation should," he said. 

"Quite the contrary. That is something that we have to address in our industry."

But, he warned that the move will come at a cost... 

"It will mean ultimately that going out is going to be more expensive, and that maybe your favourite restaurant is no longer open seven days a week - it's only open three or four days a week," he said. 

The industry is known for its long, unsociable working hours, and Roux Jr explained that the real issue hit after the pandemic, with people no longer wanting to work weekends. 

"People don't want to work unsociable hours and would rather work delivering parcels as and when they want to. It's as simple as that," he added. 

Earlier this year, Roux Jr said goodbye to his famous restaurant Le Gavroche in London. 

It had been opened by his father Albert Roux and uncle Michel Roux in 1967. 

Now, he said it's "brave" to open a new restaurant, with the market "very, very tough". 

"I really feel for anyone that is brave enough to open up a restaurant now. It's incredibly difficult," he added. 

Chez Rouz at The Langham in Marylebone, central London, is due to open on 22 May. 

By James Sillars , business news reporter

A pause for breath on the FTSE 100 after a 3% gain over the course of past week that took the index to a fresh record closing high.

The rally of recent weeks - significant for London's standing and pension pots alike - has been broad based and reflects several factors.

A major driver has been sterling's weakness versus the US dollar.

The US currency has been strong as the Federal Reserve, its central bank, has hinted it will be some time yet before it begins to cut interest rates.

Language out of the Bank of England last week sparked a flurry of bets that UK rates could be cut as early as next month.

A weaker pound boosts dollar-earning constituents on the FTSE 100 because they get more for their money when dollars are converted to pounds.

Also at play is the view that UK stocks represent good value, as they are cheaper compared to many of their international peers.

A few moments ago, the FTSE 100 was trading 6 points lower at 8,423.

A major talking point is the possibility of the Chinese fast fashion firm Shein listing in London.

According to Reuters, the company has shifted its focus to the UK after receiving a lukewarm reception in the United States.

The news agency, citing two sources, reported that Shein was stepping up its preparations for an initial public offering in London that would be expected to be one of the biggest carried out globally this year.

By Emily Mee , Money team

No one likes the date in their calendar when their MOT rolls around. 

But to make things a little less stressful, consumer expert Scott Dixon - known as The Complaints Resolver - has given us some tips on what to look out for to help your vehicle pass with flying colours. 

Some of the most common failures are faulty steering, brakes, suspension, worn or damaged tyres, cracked windscreens and faulty lights. 

Mr Dixon recommends you get your car serviced a couple of weeks before your MOT, in case there are any complex or costly issues. 

This will give you time to get them fixed and get your car through first time without any advisories. 

Aside from taking your car for a service, there are also some easy checks you can run yourself... 

Listen for unusual clunks while you're driving - this could be a sign of a damaged suspension. 

You could also check by pushing the car down on each corner. It should return to normal without bouncing a few times. 

Another option is to look with a torch under the wheel arch, as this should reveal any obvious defects. 

Blown bulbs are a common MOT failure, but they're cheap to fix. 

Walk around your car and check all the bulbs are working - this includes the headlights, sidelights, brake lights, indicators and the number plate bulb.

Mr Dixon says it's "not an easy job" to change the lightbulbs yourself on most modern cars, as the MOT will also check the positioning of the light. Therefore he recommends getting this done professionally. 

Squealing or grinding noises may be a sign your brake pads need replacing. 

You should also check whether your car stops in a straight line, or whether it pulls in different directions. 

Don't forget about the handbrake, too. Test it out on a slope and see if it securely holds the car. If it doesn't, you should get it adjusted. 

It's easy to check if your wipers work okay, but you should also make sure to inspect the blades for tears and rips. 

They should be able to clean the windows with no smears. 

Mr Dixon says you don't need to pay Halfords to change your wiper blade as you can "do it yourself in seconds". All you need to do is look for a YouTube tutorial. 

He also recommends buying the Bosch wiper blades, as he says these are good quality and will also be a sign you've looked after your car well when you come to sell it. 

One thing to look out for is tread depth. You can do this by looking for the "wear bar" that sits between the tread. 

If it's close to 1.6mm and is low, you should get the tyre replaced so it's not flagged as an advisory. 

Also check for perished tyre walls, which can happen when a vehicle is standing for any length of time. 

Uneven tyre wear is another potential issue, and if there are signs of this you should get the tyre replaced and tracking and suspension checked. 

These must be in good condition and working order, with no tears or knots. 

Registration plates

Your number plates should be clean and visible with a working light bulb at the rear. You may need to give them a wipe and replace the bulb if necessary. 

This should be in good condition, without damage such as loose bumpers or sharp edges. 

Mr Dixon advises against using automatic car washes during your car's lifetime, saying they "wreck your car". 

"It's not just your paintwork but they can also damage the wiper blades and the bodywork," he says. 

Check for warning lights

You'll need to take your vehicle to a trusted garage or mechanic for this. 

Exhaust emissions

Some diesel vehicles can fail their MOTs based on emissions. To avoid this, you can buy a fuel treatment pack and take your car for a good run to clear the fuel lines and tank.

Driving for at least 30 to 50 minutes at a sustained speed on a motorway or A-road should help to clear the filter. 

You should make sure the driver's view of the road isn't obstructed, so check for stone chips at eye level and remove any obstructions such as air fresheners and mobile phone cradles. 

What else should you think about? 

Make sure your car is clean beforehand, as a tester can refuse to do your MOT if the vehicle is filthy and full of rubbish. 

Giving your car a clean can also give you a chance to inspect it, Mr Dixon says. 

Another thing to do is to check last year's MOT for any advisories that might crop up this time. 

These potential issues will still be there - so it's best not to ignore them. 

You can check your vehicle's MOT history using  https://car-check.co.uk . 

Every Monday we get an expert to answer your money problems or consumer disputes. Find out how to submit yours at the bottom of this post. Today's question is...

I have worked at a bank for 24 years - the facilities are outsourced. This new company is bringing in a system where the staff have to click in and out and are then paid by the minute? Is this allowed? Amber

Ian Jones, director and principal solicitor at Spencer Shaw Solicitors, has picked this one up...

Your rights depend on your contract and what it says about payment. Does it specify an annual salary, or payment by time? Does it allow for changes to how payment is calculated?

If the contract does not allow for this type of payment, your employer may be trying to vary the contract of employment unlawfully.

If you're directly employed by the bank, and your pay arrangements are changing because of a new monitoring system, this would be an internal contract variation. If you work in the facilities department and the new contractor is taking over as your employer, the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) 2006 may apply. 

In this case, your current terms, conditions and previous service will transfer to the new employer.

TUPE may make the issue sound more complicated but, in practice, either way the changes will be valid only if the employee agrees to them.

If you have not agreed to the change, then this could be a breach of contract. This could give rise to a successful claim in the civil courts or the employment tribunal. 

If the breach is serious (for example, you're paid less than agreed in the original contract) and you resign in response, this could amount to constructive dismissal for which a claim can be made in the employment tribunal. 

It would be sensible to get the contract reviewed by a solicitor for advice. But act swiftly - if you continue working for the employer, you are effectively waiving the breach and accepting the change to your contract.

To make it possible to pay by the minute, employees may be monitored while at work. When collecting and processing data and using it to make a decision, the employer must comply with data protection laws. If not, the employee could be entitled to compensation, depending on the breach, or the employer could be at risk of a sanction by the regulator the Information Commissioner's Office.

This feature is not intended as financial advice - the aim is to give an overview of the things you should think about.  Submit your dilemma or consumer dispute via:

• The form above - make sure you leave a phone number or email address
• Email [email protected] with the subject line "Money blog"
• WhatsApp us  here .

Please make sure you leave your contact details as we cannot follow up consumer disputes without them.

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