--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The next 15 years will see thousands of…" description: "\"The next 15 years will see thousands of people leave the atmosphere on suborbital flights. My company's SS2 system might fly 100,000 people by 2024. If..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/burt-rutan-12448_apollo_the-next-15-years-will-see-thousands-of_1949769.jpg" --- # The next 15 years will see thousands of people leave the… ![“The next 15 years will see thousands of people leave the atmosphere on suborbital flights. My company's SS2 system might fly 100,000 people by 2024. If it is shown to be highly profitable, perhaps we will see 20,000 people traveling to orbit by 2035, and then thousands to the moon by 2050. If we…” quote by Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/burt-rutan-12448_apollo_the-next-15-years-will-see-thousands-of_1949769.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/burt-rutan-12448_apollo_the-next-15-years-will-see-thousands-of_1949769.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/burt-rutan-12448_apollo_the-next-15-years-will-see-thousands-of_1949769.jpg) > “The next 15 years will see thousands of people leave the atmosphere on suborbital flights. My company's SS2 system might fly 100,000 people by 2024. If it is shown to be highly profitable, perhaps we will see 20,000 people traveling to orbit by 2035, and then thousands to the moon by 2050. If we make a courageous decision, like the program we kicked off for Apollo, we will see our grandchildren in outposts on other planets.” [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker predicts rapid growth in suborbital and orbital tourism, leading to lunar and planetary settlements if bold decisions are made. **In simple terms:** Space travel will become common, enabling off‑world colonies. Key Takeaway Invest in ambitious space programs now. Themes innovation exploration future economics risk Mood optimistic visionary Type predictive inspirational When to use this quote - government policy - private investment - public perception - infrastructure development Key Concepts space tourism scalability colonization technology adoption Questions to Reflect On - What investments are needed to make space tourism profitable? - How can we balance risk and reward in large‑scale space projects? A Different Perspective Profitability may be uncertain and regulatory hurdles could delay progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apollo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apollo/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Courageous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courageous/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Grandchildren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandchildren/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Orbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orbit/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Predictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predictions/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [“Currently where you are is on a huge globe with a relatively thin crust of stone, containing fire in its bowels, rotating on its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-russell/currently-where-you-are-is-on-a-huge-globe-with-a-relatively-thin/) [Stephen Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-russell/) > [Before the current decade ends, fee-paying passengers will be experiencing suborbital flights aboard privately funded vehicles. . . . It won't be too long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/before-the-current-decade-ends-fee-paying-passengers-will-be/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Your courageous decision to believe in Him will bless you immeasurably and forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-whitney-clayton/your-courageous-decision-to-believe-in-him-will-bless-you/) [L. Whitney Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-whitney-clayton/) > [In times of crisis our nation depends on the courage and determination of the Guard. You know the call of active duty can come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/in-times-of-crisis-our-nation-depends-on-the-courage-and/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [“one of the most courageous decisions you'll ever make is to finally let go of what is hurting your heart and soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigitte-nicole/one-of-the-most-courageous-decisions-you-ll-ever-make-is-to-finally/) [Brigitte Nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigitte-nicole/) > [If you don't change direction, you end up where you are headed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gibbons/if-you-don-t-change-direction-you-end-up-where-you-are-headed/) John Gibbons > [One of the most courageous decisions that you'll ever make is to finally let go of the one who hurts you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaceem-aveiro/one-of-the-most-courageous-decisions-that-you-ll-ever-make-is-to/) [Kaceem Aveiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaceem-aveiro/) ## More by Burt Rutan > [I like to call the difference between research and development. Some people use that interchangeably. They'll say R&D. They're two totally different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/i-like-to-call-the-difference-between-research-and-development-some/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [America was good enough to make a small compact lighter weight nuclear weapon. The Russians still had these big clunky heavy ones, so they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/america-was-good-enough-to-make-a-small-compact-lighter-weight/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [A true creator researches how to have confidence in nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/a-true-creator-researches-how-to-have-confidence-in-nonsense/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [I spent about seven years during the Vietnam War flight-testing airplanes for the Air Force. And then I went in and I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/i-spent-about-seven-years-during-the-vietnam-war-flight-testing/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Flight out of the atmosphere is a simple thing to do and should have been available to the public twenty years ago. Ten years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/flight-out-of-the-atmosphere-is-a-simple-thing-to-do-and-should-have/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [We didn't know the importance of home computers before the Internet. We had them mostly for fun, then the Internet came along and was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/we-didn-t-know-the-importance-of-home-computers-before-the-internet/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Virgin Galactic, which will be operating SpaceShipTwo, will be only one of several spacelines. The competitors for Virgin include the Russians, Bezos's Blue Origin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/virgin-galactic-which-will-be-operating-spaceshiptwo-will-be-only-one/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Within 25 years, virtual reality meetings will be essentially transparent to being there in person. Once we can do this, the idea of climbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/within-25-years-virtual-reality-meetings-will-be-essentially/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Everything looks nonsensical before it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/everything-looks-nonsensical-before-it-works/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [A NASA-funded study estimates that if the price of a ticket to space approached $100,000, close to a million people would buy one. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/a-nasa-funded-study-estimates-that-if-the-price-of-a-ticket-to-space/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Achieving something that has never existed in manned spaceflight and that is high volume and public access.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/achieving-something-that-has-never-existed-in-manned-spaceflight-and/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [There will be a new industry, and we are just now in the beginning. I will predict that in twelve or fifteen years there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/there-will-be-a-new-industry-and-we-are-just-now-in-the-beginning-i/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Our goal is to show that you can develop a robust, safe manned space program and do it at an extremely low cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/our-goal-is-to-show-that-you-can-develop-a-robust-safe-manned-space/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Usually the wacky people have the breakthroughs. The 'smart' people don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/usually-the-wacky-people-have-the-breakthroughs-the-smart-people-don-t/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [In the coming era of manned space exploration by the private sector, market forces will spur development and yield new, low-cost space technologies. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/in-the-coming-era-of-manned-space-exploration-by-the-private-sector/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) [Explore all 55 Burt Rutan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) ## More Apollo quotes > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Kennedy had made a mess in Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. He had to do something to look good. The Apollo program of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/kennedy-had-made-a-mess-in-cuba-at-the-bay-of-pigs-he-had-to-do/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [Apollo?” I guessed… He put a finger to his lips. “I’m incognito. Call me Fred.” A god named Fred?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/apollo-i-guessed-he-put-a-finger-to-his-lips-i-m-incognito-call-me/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [As a former Apollo astronaut, I think it's safe to say that SpaceX and the other commercial developers embody the 21st century version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-schweickart/as-a-former-apollo-astronaut-i-think-it-s-safe-to-say-that-spacex-and/) [Rusty Schweickart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-schweickart/) > [I think if you were between maybe 6 and 16, there was nothing like Apollo, and I wonder if there can be something like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/i-think-if-you-were-between-maybe-6-and-16-there-was-nothing-like/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [Apollo was a big, unwieldy vehicle. I had a problem with the flight controllers over that. It would try to fare its way like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/apollo-was-a-big-unwieldy-vehicle-i-had-a-problem-with-the-flight/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [I used to be a street performer, and performances on Venice Beach, it's like playing the Apollo: They let you know if they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-hiroyuki-tagawa/i-used-to-be-a-street-performer-and-performances-on-venice-beach-it-s/) [Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-hiroyuki-tagawa/) > [I owe much of my success to Seann Walsh. He kept recommending me for Live At The Apollo until eventually the producers offered me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romesh-ranganathan/i-owe-much-of-my-success-to-seann-walsh-he-kept-recommending-me-for/) [Romesh Ranganathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romesh-ranganathan/) > [A typical smart phone has more computing power than Apollo 11 when it landed a man on the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/a-typical-smart-phone-has-more-computing-power-than-apollo-11-when-it/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Armstrong, sitting in the commander's seat, spacesuit on, helmet on, plugged into electrical and environmental umbilical's, is a man who is not only a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/armstrong-sitting-in-the-commander-s-seat-spacesuit-on-helmet-on/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [Have any of you taken a look out at Greece in the last, say, hour or so? (Hermes) What? Are they reacting to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/have-any-of-you-taken-a-look-out-at-greece-in-the-last-say-hour-or-so/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“I couldn’t say I was surprised that Apollo hadn’t given me a lot to work on. The jerk was known for delivering little to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-couldn-t-say-i-was-surprised-that-apollo-hadn-t-given-me-a-lot-to/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [“As additional precautions, Kranz requested that a two-hundred-foot radio antenna (called a deep-space dish) in Australia be added to the global network tracking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-s-f-cooper-jr/as-additional-precautions-kranz-requested-that-a-two-hundred-foot/) Henry S.F. Cooper Jr > [“He saw her eyes bright as stars; he saw her lips, and was not satisfied with only seeing them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-saw-her-eyes-bright-as-stars-he-saw-her-lips-and-was-not-satisfied/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Among the gods, there is a dispute as to which one of them originally thought of Christianity; or, as they call it, the Great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holt/among-the-gods-there-is-a-dispute-as-to-which-one-of-them-originally/) [Tom Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holt/) [Browse all 382 Apollo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apollo/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The next 15 years will see thousands of people leave the atmosphere on suborbital flights. My company's SS2 system might fly 100,000 people by 2024. 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