A Billionaire-Shaped Hole in Any Attempt to Limit Climate Change

The timing appears wholly inappropriate. The US Pacific NW is currently suffering the effects of extreme heat. So today, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic Spaceflight Unity 22 will take off from Spaceport America in the New Mexico desert. Unity 22 will be lifted into the sky on plane, before a rocket boosts it into orbit 55 miles above the Earth's surface (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/jul/10/virgin-galactic-richard-branson-orbit). There is some bickering about whether 55 miles above the surface, counts as being 'in space'. His competitor, Jeff Besos argues that only 62 miles above the surface (as is planned for his New Shepherd rocket), counts as space proper. Space tourism, whether to a height of 55 or 62 miles above the Earth's surface, will generate enormous amounts of 'greenhouse gases'. 'Greenhouse gases' increase the temperature of the planet, driving climate change. Worryingly, Virgin Atlantic already have more than 600 seat reservations for their commercial space tourism service. Service will start in 2022, with seats costing $250,000 each. There must at least be massive surcharges on each seat. This is needed to help deal with the effects of the inevitable environmental damage. Increasing the cost, might also put a few folk off adding space tourism to their bucket-list. The Branson/Bezos/Musk space tourism saga must not be allowed to greenwash, by buying dubious carbon credits. It almost seems that billionaires and their rich customers are intent on killing off our planet.