Like many people, I am excited about the advances that we are seeing in space technology and travel. There are potentially great benefits that could occur as a result.
However, I also think that the notion of space tourism — that is, human space travel for recreation and enjoyment — needs further regulation and some guardrails put in place.
Why?
Let's start with the question of who has access to space tourism? The answer is those with vast resources. As the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum reports, "Aspiring space tourists can expect to pay upwards of $250,000 for a seat on suborbital spacecrafts and an estimated $50 million for a ticket to orbit."
That's why last year I proposed a "space tax" that would levy a small fee for people who are paying to go on these private rocket ships funded by billionaires.
These funds would allow us to develop additional safety protocols, set up a regulatory framework, and even offset some of the additional climate disruptions these flights cost the environment.
I think it's only fair to ask those paying for this luxury experience to pay a proportional tax. When you buy an airplane ticket, you pay a small tax. There's no reason why space tourism should be any different.
This week, I plan to officially introduce my legislation to create a space tax and I look forward to working to make it a reality.
Original source can be found here
