space tourism: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low-to-mediumSpecialist/Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “space tourism” mean?
The business or activity of paying to travel to space for recreational purposes.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The business or activity of paying to travel to space for recreational purposes.
A nascent industry involving civilian, non-scientific travel beyond Earth's atmosphere, encompassing orbital and suborbital flights. It also refers broadly to the concept of space as a leisure destination.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; both use the same term. Spelling of related words follows regional conventions (e.g., 'traveller' vs. 'traveler').
Connotations
Slight nuance: In UK English, it may carry a marginally more sceptical or ironic tone regarding its feasibility/cost. In US English, it may be framed more optimistically as a frontier industry.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties, given the global nature of the topic.
Grammar
How to Use “space tourism” in a Sentence
[verb] + space tourism (e.g., 'develop', 'pioneer', 'regulate', 'promote')space tourism + [verb] (e.g., 'is growing', 'will become', 'remains', 'costs')[adjective] + space tourism (e.g., 'commercial', 'future')Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “space tourism” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Several firms are seeking to space-tourise the wealthy elite.
- They hope to space-tourismise within the decade.
American English
- Companies are racing to commercialize and space-tourize the market.
adverb
British English
- They travelled space-touristically, purely for enjoyment.
- The capsule was designed space-tourism-wise.
American English
- They flew space-tourism-style, with large windows for viewing.
adjective
British English
- The space-tourism sector is attracting venture capital.
- He had a space-tourism adventure in mind.
American English
- Space tourism ventures are becoming more common.
- The space tourism industry is nascent.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Discussed in terms of market potential, investment, startups, and regulatory frameworks.
Academic
Analysed in papers on technology, economics, ethics, and space law.
Everyday
Used in news articles or casual conversation about future holidays or billionaire ventures.
Technical
Referenced in aerospace engineering contexts regarding vehicle design for non-professional crews.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “space tourism”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “space tourism”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “space tourism”
- Incorrectly making it plural (e.g., 'space tourisms'). It is uncountable.
- Confusing 'space tourist' (the person) with 'space tourism' (the activity/industry).
- Misspelling as 'spacetourism' (should be two words or hyphenated: space-tourism).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is most commonly written as two separate words ('space tourism'), though the hyphenated form 'space-tourism' is also accepted, especially when used adjectivally.
Dennis Tito, an American businessman, who paid for a trip to the International Space Station aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 2001, is widely recognised as the first fee-paying space tourist.
Like all early-stage aerospace activities, it carries significant inherent risks. Companies involved must meet rigorous safety standards, but the industry is still in its experimental phase regarding regular passenger flights.
Costs have ranged from tens of millions of dollars for orbital trips to hundreds of thousands for brief suborbital flights. Prices are expected to decrease as technology matures and competition increases.
The business or activity of paying to travel to space for recreational purposes.
Space tourism is usually specialist/journalistic in register.
Space tourism: in British English it is pronounced /ˈspeɪs ˌtʊə.rɪ.zəm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈspeɪs ˌtʊr.ɪ.zəm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A ticket to the final frontier”
- “Vacation off the planet”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'TOURists in SPACE' = SPACE TOURism.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPACE IS A RESORT / SPACE IS A COMMODITY.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary focus of 'space tourism'?