Space Tourism Is Taking Off: Are We Ready for the Risks?

Space tourism is no longer science fiction. Rocket engines roaring off launch pads, capsules flying through micro-gravity arcs and selfies taken from orbital windows are proof it’s real and growing. But flights that are treated as entertainment mask the vulnerabilities. Accidents during test flights, unstudied health effects, legal gaps and environmental harm show the frontier is still wild. Without thoughtful regulation, rigorous safety protocols and environmental stewardship the dream of ordinary people in space could collapse under its own weight.