(Sorry about the headline, couldn’t resist.)

Some academics who specialize in the tourist industry (yes, there are such people) are predicting that space tourism is about to take off (oops, did it again). Apparently by somewhere between 2010 and 2015 space holidays will be affordable (a mere $80k) and by 2025 there will be space hotels. Just like in those funny sci-fi stories.

And who will take these vacations to the stars? Will it be people brought up on Kirk and Spock? Apparently not. It will be “extreme tourism” fanatics who no longer find anything on Earth dangerous enough. Ah well, as long as they grow the market and bring the price down for the rest of us. (And not too many of them manage to get themselves killed.)