Space Tourism: the Emerging Industry of the World Economy

   Relevance of the research topic: currently, space is considered as a new economic resource, the use of which can generate profit for companies that have access to it. The participation of private capital in space exploration contributes to the search for new business niches and the formation of new economic sectors, one of which is space tourism.

   The purpose of the article is to study the current state and development trends of a new branch of the world economy — space tourism.

   To conduct the study, general scientific methods were used: analysis, synthesis, deduction, comparative analysis, generalization, as well as special scientific methods: structural analysis, statistical method, grouping method, graphical method and SWOT analysis method. A review of scientific publications on the problems of space tourism development allowed the author to propose his own definition of this phenomenon and identify its main features at the present stage of development. The author identified and analysed the main types of space tourism (orbital, suborbital, lunar and stratospheric), identified the main participants in the global space tourism market, conducted a comparative analysis of the technologies used to provide services for sending tourists into space, and conducted a SWOT analysis of the development of the global space tourism industry, he also analyzed the state of space tourism in Russia. The results and conclusions of the article are of interest to researchers studying the development of economic sectors related to space activities, as well as to government agencies whose decisions affect the development of the space industry in Russia.

1. Cole S. Space tourism: Prospects, positioning, and planning. Journal of Tourism Futures. 2015;1(2):131–140. DOI: 10.1108/JTF-12-2014-0014

2. Kozhanazar A. Sh., Baimbetova A. B., Tleubaeva A. T. Definition of the relationship between tourism and the concept of “space tourism”. Ekonomicheskaya seriya Vestnika ENU im. L. N. Gumileva = Economic Series of the Bulletin of L. N. Gumilyov ENU. 2023;(2):306–315. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.32523/2789–4320–2023–2–306–315

3. Markina A. N. Space tourism: Main problems and prospects for development. Ekonomika i biznes: teoriya i praktika = Economy and Business: Theory and Practice. 2020;(4–1):185–187. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.24411/2411–0450–2020–10283

4. Sarafanova A. G., Sarafanov A. A. Space tourism as an extreme leisure research object. Vestnik Samarskogo gosudarstvennogo ekonomicheskogo universiteta = Vestnik of Samara State University of Economics. 2022;(1):65–74. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.46554/1993–0453–2022–1–207–65–74

5. Cheglazova M. E., Novikov V. A. Current state and prospects for the development of space tourism. In: Proc. 4^th All-Russ. sci.-pract. conf. with int. particip. Simferopol: Crimean University of Culture, Arts and Tourism; 2020:277–282. (In Russ.).

6. Yazici A. M., Tiwari S. Space tourism: An initiative pushing limits. Journal of Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality (TOLEHO). 2021;3(1):38–46. DOI: 10.48119/toleho.862636

7. Zheleznyakov A. B. Mesonauts in conditional space. Vozdushno-kosmicheskaya sfera = Aerospace Sphere Journal. 2021;(3):50–57. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.30981/2587–7992–2021–108–3–50–57

8. Adygezalova V. Yu., Dronov A. I. Prospects for the development of interregional space tourism. In: Proc. 55^th Sci. readings in memory of K. E. Tsiolkovsky. Pt. 2. Kaluga: State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics named after. K. E. Tsiolkovsky; 2020:55–58. (In Russ.).

9. Galiullin E. F. Trends and prospects for the development of tourism in space. In: Proc. Int. sci.-pract. conf. Omsk: Omsk State Technical University; 2023:94–99. (In Russ.).

10. Reddy M. V., Nica M., Wilkes K. Space tourism: Research recommendations for the future of the industry and perspectives of potential participants. Tourism Management. 2012;33(5):1093–102. DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2011.11.026

11. Kim M. J., Hall C. M., Kwon O., Hwang K., Kim J. S. Orbital and sub-orbital space tourism: Motivation, constraint and artificial intelligence. Tourism Review. 2024;79(2):392–407. DOI: 10.1108/TR-01-2023-0017

12. Autino A. V., Foing B., Jha D., et al. From space exploration, to suborbital space tourism, to living and working on space: Evolution of the mission requirements. In: 72^nd Int. astronautical congr. (IAC‑2021). (Dubai, October 25–29, 2021). Paris: International Astronautical Federation; 2021:1–10. URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356977280_FROM_SPACE_EXPLORATION_TO_SUBORBITAL_SPACE_TOURISM_TO_LIVING_AND_WORKING_IN_SPACE_EVOLUTION_OF_THE_MISSION_REQUIREMENTS