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Canadian optimism about space tourism

07.16.07

A large fraction of Canadians think that space tourism flights to other planets would be possible within the next 100 years, according to the results of a poll reported by the Canadian Press. A whopping 85 percent thought that such vacations would be possible in the next century “or more”, including 13 percent who believed that such jaunts could be possible in the next 50 years. However, “futurist” Mike Dover of Toronto consultancy New Paradigm tried to put the kibosh on such thoughts in the Canadian Press article: “I don’t see that it would be in the realm of possibilities for amateur or civilian travel for many, many centuries.” Of course, it depends on what’s meant by vacations to other planets—or, for that matter, what a “planet” is. After all, Space Adventures is recruiting passengers for a circumlunar flight that could take place in the next several years, not centuries.