AXIOM FLIGHT a harbinger of space tourism’s future—and its inequities.
Axiom’s All-Private Spaceflight to the ISS Preps for Launch
Macharia says it’s not surprising that rich people make up the majority of the first space tourists, but more can be done to make the situation fairer. “As someone who’s a big fan of the commercialization of space, I do think that this is something we’re naturally going to encounter over the next few years, given the cost of spaceflight. That's why I think it’s so important for people who can afford these trips to support initiatives that are going to empower others from more marginalized backgrounds to follow in their paths,” she says. The Space Prize Foundation is kicking off a global competition in June that will award prizes to girls ages 15 to 18, including mentorships with women who are leaders in space science and engineering, and a trip to the edge of space on a Space Perspective balloon.
