Niche travel

YOU KNOW an idea has moved from the realm of sci-fi and fantasy to grim reality when the suits move in, as they just have in relation to space travel.

For so long the domain of TV producers and Richard Branson, space tourism has gone mainstream with the news that insurance giant Allianz is about to start offering space-travel insurance.

The company recently announced a partnership with the International Space Transport Association, in what it calls “anticipation of the inevitable growth in space tourism and commercial space flight”.

It’s not a moment too soon. Virgin Galactic, Branson’s space tourism business, has slated its first commercial space flight for October of this year.

Last month the company held its first “industry day” event, allowing wet wipe manufacturers and tin dinner makers to come to Spaceport America, Virgin’s spanking new space airport in New Mexico, to pitch for contracts.

Already almost 500 members of the public have signed up – and paid down a $20,000 deposit (€15,600) for one of Branson’s $200,000 (€156,000) space flights.

For that they won’t even get to circle the world, just a 100km journey up into outer space, followed by five minutes of weightlessness, and straight back down again.

Still, given that heretofore space tourists had no option but to pay tens of millions of dollars to hitch a lift to the International Space Station from the Russians, it’s a bargain.

Indeed, as is always the way, there is an even cheaper alternative to Virgin waiting in the wings, with rival operator XCOR reported to be offering space trips for just $95,000 (€74,000).

Low-cost carriers to space? It can’t be long now before Ryanair moves in.