Commercial space travel possible by 2014

Reportedly, Obama’s administration has decided to assign 6 billion dollars towards commercial spaceflights in the next five years and this has raised hopes for the space entrepreneurs.

The private space flight companies are confident that by 2014 commercial spaceships could possibly transport cargo and humans into the low-Earth orbit at relatively cheaper prices.

Bretton Alexander, president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation affirms, “With President Obama's historic decision, we stand on the threshold of a new era in space.”

“The commercial spaceflight industry is working to extend the legacy of the Wright Brothers into space, for the mutual benefit of both NASA and the nation,” he added.

Moon Tourism to start soon
The spaceflight companies are optimistic about sending tourists to moon and the International Space Station by the year 2014.

Las Vegas-based Bigelow Aerospace that plans to open a space hotel on the moon will also launch several private space stations within the next ten years for space tourists.

Eric Anderson of Space Adventures, the only company sending space tourist flights to the low-Earth orbit says, “By 2020 you'll have seen private citizens circumnavigate the moon.”

And to validate their estimates, Space Adventures has already booked its first clients for the moon travel that will cost 100 million dollars.

Safety of Commercial spaceflights
The private space companies agree that safety is the most important issue in space travel and say that they will adhere to the safety standards set by NASA.

"Safety-wise, we are the least able to afford mishaps. By contrast, NASA's government program has been able to shrug off disasters more easily throughout its history," said Robert Bigelow, head of Bigelow Aerospace.

It may be noted that since space shuttle flights began in 1981, NASA has had two major disasters that killed 14 astronauts.

Space tourist, Richard Garriott, who paid 30 million dollars to fly to the International Space Station in Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft says, “I think that for people to say that we here in the U.S. have done a great job on safety with the old way is just wrong.”

SpaceX and other commercial space ventures also confirm that the cost of traveling to the International Space Station would be lesser than what NASA pays to send its astronauts aboard Russia’s Soyuz aircraft to the space station.

It may be noted that NASA pays about $51 million per seat to send astronauts to space on the Russian spacecraft.