China is looking to spark interest in space tourism by opening its soon-to-be-completed space station to everyday citizens.
Yang Liwei, who made history in 2003 by becoming China’s first astronaut in space, told Chinese media earlier this month that people without formal astronaut training could soon visit the Tiangong space station.
“It is not a matter of technology but of demand,” Yang said when asked if the general public would be able to tour Tiangong. “And it can be realized within a decade as long as there is such demand.”
Yang was speaking as a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which forms part of China’s ongoing annual political sessions in Beijing. Adding further weight to the comments was Zhou Jianping, known as the chief designer of China’s human spaceflight program, who later said the country’s Shenzhou crew spacecraft could be used for space tourism. Taken together, the comments suggest that China is looking to establish a market…