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Designing the Orbital Space Tourism Experience

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Designing the Orbital Space Tourism Experience
IAC-08-E1.4.6 Introducing the International Astronautic Games: An Innovative Concept for Public Outreach
S. Pandya, BSc (Hon), MSc University of Alberta, Canada pandya@ualberta.ca

ABSTRACT In the half-century since the dawn of the Space Age, it has been the manned space missions that have consistently captured and engaged the general public with their voyages of discovery, adventure and heroism. However, due to the enormous expenses and resources required to carry out such missions, these ventures are typically few and far between, meaning that public engagement and support waxes and wanes. There is, in short, a need for a more cost-effective and continuous manner for engaging the public’s enthusiasm for human space ventures. Enter the “International Astronautical Games,” an outreach concept for highlighting excellence in astronautics and promoting awareness, advancement and international good will with respect to the space sector for a fraction of the cost. Under the Latin motto, “una proficimus” or “together we achieve,” the Games are comparable to a type of “Space-Olympics on Earth”’ Delegates will take part in six categories of competition that embody the spirit of astronautics and space exploration, from athletics to research to sportsmanship. Achievements and advancements in six core categories of space exploration will also be recognized in an awards paradigm similar to the Nobel prize institution. The paper also addresses logistical details associated with the Games, followed by a brief feasibility analysis. By way of conclusion, the paper culminates with a project development chart outlining key goals in each ensuing project phase. FULL TEXT INTRODUCTION Human spaceflight has evolved tremendously over fifty years: astronauts and cosmonauts have graduated from simply reaching space to surviving there for extended periods of time. As a natural extension of these forays into space, entrepreneurs and dreamers alike have set their sights on the untapped



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