In one of the most famous things that was never said, Andy Warhol supposedly said “In the future, everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes”. Apparently, he never said it. It may have been made up by someone doing a program for a display of some of Warhol’s work. Or there may have been a twisted version of it while he was getting his picture taken one day. But those exact words never came out of his mouth. Although some days it seems they will come true.
Although it now seems another similar saying could be used. In the future, everyone will go to space for ten minutes. If you’ve got the spare cash.
That last part will likely be the key. Having the cash on hand to book a space flight will be a big thing for many people.
I think it’s great that William Shatner went into space, even if it was just for ten minutes. He seemed pretty impressed with the whole experience, and I’m sure it’s pretty cool. And it’s highly unlikely I’ll ever have to worry about it.
The cheap plan at the moment seems to offer a space flight for about $450,000 US. If you wait for ten years, they say it could come down to about $100,000. But one look at fuel prices makes me think that’s not going to happen. They keep going up for no particular reason on a pretty much constant basis. I can’t imagine pulling my spaceship up to the pumps and filling up.
I can see the draw of going to space. It’s been one of those things, like flying cars, that have been promised for years. But in the same way I can probably live without the self tying shoes and hoverboard, I can probably get by quite nicely without going to space.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t explore space. We should. But even if I had the money, there are a lot of other things higher on my bucket list than a ten minute float around the edges of space.
While others may be lining up to break Shatner’s record for the oldest man in space, I won’t be one of them. I can be just as impressed with my feet on the ground.
