"Rand Simberg" wrote in message link.net...
Perplexed in Peoria wrote:

But, I will admit that I have a fundamental distaste for the whole concept
of space tourism. What a step backward!

You apparently don't understand anything about the economics of spaceflight.

Still learning about that. But I do understand the difference between
making progress and maintaining momentum.

The goal should be space settlement,
and the next step toward that is better robotics and exploration of the moon
and asteroids for possible material resources, not orbital tourism.

Orbital tourism is a necessary, and probably sufficient condition to
attain those other goals.