Space Travel Theme Parks

All the interesting facilities -- spacecraft fabrication, test chambers, training facilities, laboratories, and mission control -- will operate behind glass walls in a theme-park atmosphere. If we do it right, these facilities will pay for themselves by providing entertainment (and perhaps a bit of serendipitous education) worthy of the gate price.

I envision a ride-through facilities tour at each site, along with visitors' galleries where people can watch and learn for as long as they like. Each facility will have a knowledgeable staff to brief visitors and answer questions. We'll offer discount packages and focused briefings for school groups in all age categories.

Since mission support functions will be distributed all around the world, we'll need many of these theme park facilities for real-time monitoring and control during the flight. That opens opportunities for ventures as modest as a small entertainment center in a casino to a full-sized major theme park.

Incidentally, if anyone would like to develop a business plan for any part of this and put together a business to do it, you're welcome and encouraged to do so. There's a lot more to the Artemis Project than space ships.