Space is an unnatural environment for humans. We can't survive unprotected in a pure vacuum for more than two minutes. Getting to space involves being strapped to a barely contained chemical explosion .
Since 1961, fewer than 700 people have been into space. Private space companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin hope to boost that number to many thousands, and SpaceX is already taking bookings for flights to Earth orbit. I'm an astronomer who has written extensively about space travel, including a book about our future off-Earth.
I think a lot about the risks and rewards of exploring space. As the commercial space industry takes off, there will be accidents and people will die. Polaris Dawn, planned to launch early in September 2024, will be a high-risk mission using only civilian astronauts.
So, now is a good time to assess the risks and rewards of leaving the Earth. Space travel is dangerous Most Americans vividly recall the disasters that led to the loss of 14 astronauts' lives. Two of the five space shuttles disintegrated, Challenger in 1986 soon after launch and Columbia in 2003 on reentry.
In total, 30 astronauts and cosmonauts have died while training for or during space missions. There have also been dozens of close calls . Two astronauts are currently staying on the International Space Station for an extra six months because NASA declared their Boeing Starliner vehicle unsafe for the return journey.
Starliner has had many problems during its development, including fl.