Two students in the Faculty of Tourism at Bournemouth University in England carried out surveys relating to space tourism in the 1998-99 academic year. (In a sign of the times, both students also published their work on the World Wide Web.)

Under the heading "Daimler-Chrysler becomes biggest shareholder in Spacehab Inc", _Space News_ reported (August 23, p 16) that the company has increased its shareholding in Spacehab Inc (which owns and operates habitable modules that fly on space shuttle flights) from 1% purchased in 1995 to 11.5%. This makes Daimler-Chrysler the largest shareholder in Spacehab Inc. and will give it more experience of crewed operations in space. This matches the company's role as prime contractor for the European Space Agency's module on the International Space Station.

A short article entitled, "Human Mars mission not a priority, Clinton says" (_Space News_, August 2, p 2) reports that on July 21, 1999, the US President told a press conference "...the benefits to us here on Earth of continued advances in space..." would capture the imagination of the American people more than going to Mars. This reflects what public opinion polls show and is perhaps to be expected from a President who became famous for his campaign slogan, "It's the economy, stupid".

In a July 14, 1999, speech to the Washington Space Business Round Table (reported in -Space News_, August 2, p 15) FAA Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation Patricia Grace Smith laid out her vision of converting space transportation "...into a real mode of transportation". By this she means reaching the situation "... when a multitude of entrepreneurs will open space to all kinds of activities: thrill-rides, vacationers, industry and even trips to the Moon and beyond."

In an interview with _Space News_ (July 12, p 1) NASA Administrator Dan Goldin stated his view that taxpayers should increase NASA funding in order to develop reusable launch vehicles that will lower the cost of access to space.

Over 100 people from around the world gathered at the Space Transportation Association's "Going Public" Space Tourism conference in Washington, D.C. to learn more about the issues inhibiting space tourism from becoming a viable endeavor.

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