100 thousand people and hotels without a place, the expectation generated by the launch of Artemis I in Florida – Metro World News

The mission to return to the Luna has begun and the first concrete step will be taken this August 29 when the gigantic Space Launch System (SLS) and docked Orion capsule launchbecoming the most powerful rocket NASA has ever built.

If the weather allows it, the launch will take place at 8:33 am. ETgenerating great expectations among astronomy fans who will seek to get closer to the Space Coast of the Nasa in Florida.

A report from Florida Today points out that tourism agents expect at least 100,000 visitors for the first window of the rocket. That is, for August 29, September 2 and 6 of the same month.

The space feat generates a tourist attraction

Peter Cranis, executive director of the Space Coast Tourism Office, said Brevard County had 10,734 hotel rooms and 4,500 vacation rental units. Obviously, each unit can accommodate more than one person, but those numbers likely won’t be affected by viewers driving from Orlando, say, to see the launch without staying overnight.

“Our marketing line is that we are the only beach that works as a launch pad and now that is a message that we can send because the frequency is very high,” he said. “Being known for that is something that makes us special among our peers who obviously have beaches to promote, but no space program.”

Directors of a Marriot Courtyard hotel located in that area of ​​the United States indicated that the capacity (600 rooms) of this lodging center is almost at its limit for the date.

Those numbers are compared to recent SpaceX Crew Dragon launches, which fly astronauts to the International Space Station from KSC, generating interest of between 100,000 and 250,000 visitors to the state of Florida.

The launch of the Artemis I forms the first part of a series of flights that the United States will make to return to the Moon. Then the flight will come Artemis 2 will be crewed, but the astronauts will not exit the spacecraft once it reaches its destination. Finally the Artemis 3 ship will take the first woman and the first person of African descent to lunar territory.

With the experiences obtained in these trips, it is expected to plan a trip to Mars sometime in the 2030s.