Now NASA has allowed the private equity Company Axiom Mission to fly three rich businessmen (an Israeli, a Canadian and a US American) in a Space X capsule to the International Space Station at the reasonable package holiday cost of USD 55 million each. They were escorted by former NASA astronaut Commander Michael Lopez-Garcia who is now an Axiom vice-president and reported that the visitors had “conducted experiments” to assess the commercial possibilities of low orbit space tourism.

At a virtual presentation to be made to the social media, 3-D images of the first space village will be displayed. This will consist, initially, of fifty globular habitational units each with private docking. They will be linked to a central block with offices, boutiques, catering and recreational facilities including a gymnasium and space-ball court. Robots will provide all administrative services while AI will have full domestic control To be known as El-on-Garb, the station will operate as a closed condominium with discrete, exclusive rentals operated by Space BnB. Reservations are invited off-plan with prices quoted in cosmocoin – a cryptocurrency intended only for Universal circulation.

This first station will be followed by several other low-orbit staging posts and a small lunar resort development of the highest luxury is it to be built on the shores of Mare Serenitatis for DT enterprises. In turn, these are but a prelude for the opening of Muskville the first major Martian township designed exclusively for oligarchs.

At a time when environmental scientists are warning us of the dire risks to the climate potentially caused by energy gobbling , global tourism this speculation does give one a glimpse of the future life style of the privileged elite.

by email Roberto Knight Cavaleiro, Tomar