Space Tourism

Erik Cohen is the George S. Wise Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His recent work focused on the sociological theory of tourism, space tourism, ethnic tourism in Southeast Asia, and animals in tourism. Sam Spector is a Lecturer in the Department of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. His research explores intersections between tourism, transport, sustainability, and resilience.

• Introduction. The dawn of a new era?; E. Cohen & S. SpectorPart I: Histories Chapter 1. Human aspirations to expand into space: A historical review; R.D. Launius Chapter 2. History of space tourism; C. Cater Part II: Imaginaries Chapter 3. Extraterrestrial life, stellar civilizations, and aliens; E. Cohen Chapter 4. Space tourism in contemporary cinema and video games; M. Ceuterick & M.R. Johnson Chapter 5. Virtual reality and space tourism; K. Damjanov & D. Crouch Part III: Advances Chapter 6. Exploring motivations of potential space tourists; J. Laing & W. Frost Chapter 7. Current space tourism developments; D. Webber Chapter 8. The regulation of space tourism; F.G. von der Dunk Part IV: Implications Chapter 9. Social relations, space travel, and the body of the astronaut; P. Dickens Chapter 10. Space tourism, capital, and identity; J. Ormrod & P. Dickens Chapter 11. Space tourism, the Anthropocene, and sustainability; S. Spector & J.E.S. Higham

Researchers mostly in tourism but also a wide range of disciplines examine the state and future of space tourism by juxtaposing the grandiose dreams of human expansion into the cosmos with some formidable economic, environmental, and social challenges. In sections on histories, imaginaries, advances, and implications, they consider such aspects as human aspirations to expand into space: a historical review, space tourism in contemporary cinema and video games, exploring motivations of potential space tourists, and the regulation of space tourism.