YouthAwareIssue10

Picture credit: NASA.gov
If you’re wondering why more people
aren’t jumping at this once-in-alifetime
opportunity, it may be due
to the steep price tickets currently
are or the unknown results of the
mission. Tickets for this mission to
make space accessible for all, aren’t
too accessible for most considering
they are selling at the high price of
$55 million.
However, money isn’t the only factor
that is raising concerns in many citizens.
Many are worried about the
mental health of the crew members,
especially those who aren’t trained
as astronauts or other space exploration
researchers. Space flight has
been proved to cause some behavioral
changes as crew members are
isolated and confined to an extremely
tiny space. This can cause
sleep loss and many other adverse
health effects. Others, who support
the commercial flight into space,
believe that the risks are worth it
and that you have to start somewhere.
Similar to commercial aviation
in the early 1900’s, it was extremely
expensive and unsure to
start with, but over time everyday
citizens started using planes more
often, and now it is common practice
to fly somewhere for
work or vacation. Hopefully, the
same pattern will follow in space
travel and exploration.
The enormous steps that we have
taken in making space more accessible
to not only researchers and astronauts,
but to those who simply
wish to see more of our amazing
galaxy is unprecedented. While this
is only the first step in a series of
many more to come, it gives everyone
hope to be able to experience
journeys like never before.
Whether you choose to take a leap
of faith or stay close to home is up
to you, but without a doubt Axiom
Space’s decision to take private citizens
to space opens up a whole
new world of possibilities for what
our world will look like in the future.