Chatter from the Peanut Gallery

Is it time to dump the t-word?, Jeff Foust (The Space Review)/Futron Corp.

“Space tourism has come a long way in the last several years. Five years ago, the phrase was still subject to the “snicker factor”: say the word in a public setting, and someone sitting in the back was sure to unsuccessfully stifle a giggle.

Rick Tumlinson, a co-founder of the Space Frontier Foundation and a self-appointed spokesman of the “alt.space” movement, said in a talk during the Space Frontier Conference in October in Long Beach, California. ” ‘Tourist’ is somebody in a flowered shirt with three cameras around his neck.”

“Black Sky”, Discovery Channel

“Pretty nice kick off for space tourism”, Burt Rutan, spoken as the second (X-Prize winning) flight touches down, with his arms around the shoulders of Microsoft sponsor Paul Allen and Virgin’s Richard Branson.

Editor’s note: when it comes to terminology, I’ll let the people who actually do these stupendous things – and the billionaires who back them – decide how to coin the results of their exploits – rather than allow inside the beltway wonks and a ‘self-appointed spokesman’ to sit in the bleachers and pass judgement. ‘Space tourism’ is just fine by me.