Space tourism market faces realities

Pampering the passengers
Experts at Paragon Space Development Corp. in Tucson, Ariz., are looking into what it takes to have rubbernecking travelers enjoy a suborbital experience.

Taber MacCallum, Paragon’s chief executive office, along with Grant Anderson, vice president of engineering, sense that, for the most part, passenger spaceliner builders are deep in nuts and bolts, financing and logistics — but pay little attention to comfort and care of the commuter that will ultimately foot the bill.

They are definitely safety-conscious, but not focused on human factors, MacCallum said.

MacCallum and Anderson have pieced together a preliminary list of dos and don’ts for space travel operators to keep in mind, such as:

• Free movement in microgravity: By far the most entertaining aspect is the ability to feel your body being liberated from a two-dimensional existence to a 3-D existence. While room will be limited, the ability to float and move will be a big plus if it can be done without everyone kicking each other in the face. That takes training prior to flight in the small confines of a space vehicle.
• No bulky suits, helmets, or masks obstructing field of view or movement: The added experience that a suborbital flight gives you over a parabolic flight is the view. This may be the major objective of most tourists — to get a unique view. Astronaut wings give you bragging rights at parties, but the view is what they will remember and relate to their family and friends back home.
• Clear windows: A foggy or frosted window may be reason for passengers to want their money back. A robust and well-designed humidity/condensation control system is a must. Six to eight people breathing do put out a large amount of water that must be removed from the air.
• Low or no noise during microgravity conditions: Most people not familiar with spaceflight don’t realize how noisy a spaceship can be. Cooling pumps, fans and gas valves all contribute to the noise. This should be minimized for at least the microgravity portion of the flight.

Bathroom breaks
Then there’s another sticky issue: How best to take care of the space-sick traveler.

Paragon’s MacCallum and Anderson said that active control of odors from vomiting is a must, as is rapid removal of airborne vomit.

"Paying $200,000 to dodge last night’s dinner — someone else’s — will sour the experience," MacCallum told Space.com, and would rein in any postflight enthusiastic selling to your next clients by previous clients.

Another arena for concern is how to handle bathroom breaks.

Some stopgap, backup provision for at least urination should be provided with privacy provisions needed: not a bathroom, but a curtain or other way to isolate a space traveler. Care must be taken to handle and eliminate odors quickly, MacCallum and Anderson advised.

"Despite all desires for each passenger to ‘wring themselves out’ before the flight, excitement and adrenaline tend to encourage both urination and bowel movements," MacCallum said.

Turns out, even in the unnatural realm of space — nature can call.

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