'STABILITY AND CONTINUITY': The space industry is ramping up its lobbying for the Biden administration to maintain the National Space Council resurrected by former President Donald Trump. Seventeen industry groups penned a letter to Ron Klain, President Joe Biden's chief of staff, and Hartina Flournoy, chief of staff to Vice President Kamala Harris, on Thursday explaining why the panel has been so crucial to facilitate partnerships between the civil, commercial and national security space communities. "Maintaining a White House-level focus on space will provide stability and continuity to the United States' space endeavors," they wrote. "Harnessing the space sector's capabilities will help fuel our economic recovery, help solve the climate crisis, and build the diverse 21st century education system and workforce that America needs and deserves." The letter, obtained by POLITICO, was signed by a number of trade groups, including the Aerospace Industries Association, Commercial Spaceflight Federation and the GPS Innovation Alliance. It was also signed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Space Florida, which oversees launch facilities on Florida's coast. It is the latest push to maintain the interagency panel, as well as its User Advisory Group, a board of academic and industry experts. In December, members of Biden's transition team polled commercial space leaders on the future of the National Space Council, and the execs "all warmly endorsed it," one source told POLITICO at the time. SPACE SPRING BREAK: The three wealthy men who booked tickets this week for an eight-day stay on the International Space Station with Axiom Space will be the station's first crew that is entirely made up of private citizens. But they are unlikely to be the last, according to Roman Chiporukha, a co-founder of the luxury lifestyle and travel firm Roman & Erica who helped book the ticket for one of the private astronauts heading to space next year. "The conversations I was having two years ago when we first started are substantially different from today," said Chiporukha, who works with wealthy clients to plan custom tailored vacations and experiences. "Two years ago, the responses were, 'Oh this is very funny. The only way I'm going off this planet is when I die and go to heaven.' Today, the responses are, 'This is very interesting. How much is this? What is the training like?'" Civilian astronauts train for the mission at NASA's Johnson Space Center. The training, which lasts 15 weeks nonconsecutively, is quite different from the rigorous, years-long training that astronauts undergo. While astronauts must fly the capsule, operate the International Space Station, and conduct science experiments in orbit, tourists are just along for the ride. The aspiring private astronauts are taught how to go to the bathroom and sleep in zero gravity, however. "They hang out at the International Space Station," Chiporukha explained. "They orbit the Earth. They see the sun rise and set every 90 minutes. They can Skype or FaceTime families and just hang out with the astronauts." It's also good news for the Earth-bound masses who can't afford the $55 million price tag, Chiporukha argues. Astronauts who have flown in orbit talk about the "overview effect," the transformative experience of viewing our fragile, borderless home from orbit. Wealthy people experiencing this phenomenon could be swayed to begin using their fortunes for good after they return, he predicts. "They will come back down to earth and say, 'I've always wanted to start a nonprofit that provides clean water to all, or protects the coral reefs,'" he posed. "It might be a slight pivot where they say, 'You know what: Let's continue to make money, but let's do it in an earth-friendly way.'" | 
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