As the billionaires race to build orbital and suborbital vehicles, dreams of travelling into space may no longer be a science fantasy in the coming decades.

Space tourism, an emerging and profitable sector of the flight industry, allows tourists to travel within and across the Earth’s orbit for leisure. This unique once-in-a-lifetime opportunity involves rigorous training,  challenging physical and mental health, zero-pressure balloon trips, astronaut boot camps and knowledge of different systems and technologies. 

The exotic retreat, reserved only for the wealthiest adventure seekers, opens the window to experience the beauty of the Earth, experience zero gravity, visit space stations and explore the knowledge of the universe.

As technological innovations shower tremendous growth with a rising number of private spacecraft and the billionaires bring in all their power to colonise space, will the billionaire space race disturb the delicate balance of the planetary ecosystem?

• Madhavi Desai