Inhaltsangabe:Introduction: Since its very beginning mankind has been enormously impelled by visions. Striving for records and yearning for adventures is as old as humanity itself. Consequently, the Mount Everest was scaled and the depths of the oceans were explored. After thousands of years it seems that all adventures on Mother Earth have been done. We have always been fascinated by the unknown and the mysterious things, and which territory is more unknown than the Outer Space? Almost everyone has watched movies dealing with this topic, but scarcely anybody has ever set foot on non-Earth area. However, what still seems unimaginable might soon become daily routine. Trips to London, Paris or New York? Why not travel into the endlessness of space one time? Private ventures are currently planning to capitalise on this market niche: spaceports are built, special vehicles are under development, and tickets for suborbital space flights can already be purchased. The start of the Space Race has been heralded. In doing so, safety is the supplier s top priority. Hitherto, the offer is narrowed down to the wealthy members of our society - a flight costs some hundred thousand dollars. However, the companies expect prices to go down significantly if demand is steadily increasing, which will be the cornerstone for mass space tourism. It might be unbelievable at present, but the first steps towards fulfilling this vision have been taken. This work deals with the topic space tourism, more specifically the author introduces a Feasibility Study and Future Projections of Suborbital Space Tourism, which is demonstrated at the example of Virgin Galactic. In doing so, the core objective of the present work is to analyse and evaluate whether the emerging suborbital space tourism has the potential to turn into a viable and revenue-generating industry in the near future. In order to answer this research question, there is a plethora of crucial aspects that will be investigated. First of all, the author comes up with general aspects on space tourism, including an overview about the history of space exploration and tourism, followed by the motives for going to space, the benefits as well as the obstacles of space tourism, and finally its different stages. This information builds the cornerstone for the further analysis. Afterwards, there will be the actual feasibility study and the future projections of suborbital space tourism. At this point, it should be noticed that [...]

The work "Feasibility Study and Future Projections of Suborbital Space Tourism at the Example of Virgin Galactic" deals with the topic space tourism, especially with the so-called suborbital space tourism a current trend of private businesses that offer commercial flights up to the edge of space. This edge of space, named "Karman Line" due to its founder Theodore von Karman, is defined by the FAI (Federation Aeronautique Internationale) to be at an altitude of approximately 100 km. The author conducts a detailed feasibility study about this phenomenon at the example of the Anglo-American business Virgin Galactic, and sets up future projections based on the results of this study. After a general introduction into the topic (history, motives for going to space, stages of space tourism etc.) the author addresses the focal points of the feasibility study. In detail, this includes an analysis of the Virgin Galactic approach and its most promising competitors (Space Adventures, Benson Space Company, Space Access, Incredible Adventures, Rocketplane Limited, Starchaser Industries, and Blue Origin), as well as an analysis of the several spaceships and its manufacturers. Subsequently, the regulatory framework is illustrated at the example of the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration). In the end, results from market research projects are evaluated in order to explain the demand for suborbital flights. The study comes to the conclusion that the industry is still in an early pioneer phase, but nevertheless shows an enormous potential to grow.

The book deals with the main themes in implementing international space law vis-à-vis private enterprise theme by theme, with a specific focus on Europe in view of the complicating roles of ESA and the European Union in this context.

The most important resources in civil aviation and commercial use of the outer space are legal rights to occupy certain space in airports and geostationary orbits respectively. This book clarifies the nature of the rights called "slots" in both arena. It then reviews both the domestic and international slot distribution mechanisms and Common Law principles therein.

Since the launch of Sputnik, the concept of space travel has been expanding exponentially. While the various space agencies have been conducting various space missions, the concept of commercial spaceflights have started to become popular with the entry of powerful players such as SpaceX and Virgin Galactic. Now there is a sector called space tourism where people pay for a suborbital flight or even a flight to Moon and Mars in the future. This book first examines suborbital flight and then focuses on spaceports which are fundamental for any space tourism activity.

Space tourism is definitely here for real. Richard Branson s Virgin Galactic is all set to begin two-and-a-half-hour sub-orbital spaceflights by 2009, based on a breakthrough achieved by an American company called Scaled Composites. In 2004, this company