A new era of space travel | DW Documentary

A revolution in the history of space travel took off on 20 July 2021. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos flew in his rocket 106 kilometers into outer space. It may have only lasted around 10 minutes, but the trip was the precursor to commercial passenger flights into space. The Bezos flight, as well as the one billionaire Richard Branson took just a few days earlier, herald a new era of space travel. This looks to be just the beginning of a rekindled space race. Observers suspect it could open up a lucrative market for space tourism. They’re also convinced that the next step will be inevitable: the establishment of human colonies in space. At some point, the day may come when the first person is born in space -- or perhaps when humans reach Mars. The film explores the fluctuations in space technology and the hype around commercial space flights - a topic that’s of great interest to Tesla founder Elon Musk, who founded the aerospace company SpaceX. Predicting the outcome of these developments is tricky. Musk has, in any case, announced plans to make humanity "multiplanetary”. According to him, that involves colonizing Mars and enabling life on other planets. Branson and Bezos, on the other hand, are "more interested in how we can use space to help Earth.” Billionaires going on trips into space - is this really progress? Or is it all just about spending lots and lots money? These are questions we’re not yet able to answer. #documentary #dwdocumentary #jeffbezos #earth #spacetravel ______ DW Documentary gives you knowledge beyond the headlines. Watch top documentaries from German broadcasters and international production companies. Meet intriguing people, travel to distant lands, get a look behind the complexities of daily life and build a deeper understanding of current affairs and global events. Subscribe and explore the world around you with DW Documentary. Subscribe to: ⮞ DW Documentary (English): https://www.youtube.com/dwdocumentary ⮞ DW Documental (Spanish): https://www.youtube.com/dwdocumental ⮞ DW Documentary وثائقية دي دبليو (Arabic): https://www.youtube.com/dwdocarabia ⮞ DW Doku (German): https://www.youtube.com/dwdoku ⮞ DW Documentary हिन्दी (Hindi): https://www.youtube.com/dwdochindi For more visit: http://www.dw.com/en/tv/docfilm/s-3610 Follow DW Documentary on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwdocumentary/ Follow DW Documental on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dwdocumental We kindly ask viewers to read and stick to the DW netiquette policy on our channel: https://p.dw.com/p/MF1G