how would you like a cheap house in space?

The Economist this week reports that "Holidays in orbit came a step closer with the launch of Genesis 1, an experimental inflatable spacecraft. The craft, paid for by Robert Bigelow, an American hotelier, took off from Siberia on a converted ballistic missile. If the test is successful, it will pave the way for cheap, habitable structures in space."

Even if the structures are cheap and habitable, it won't be cheap to get to them and back....

And it is interesting that Robert Bigelow has created America's Space Prize, a $50 million race to build an orbital vehicle capable of carrying up to seven astronauts to an orbital outpost by the end of the decade, while the Ansari X Prize challenges participants to develop a reusable three-person spacecraft capable of reach an altitude of at least 62 miles (100 kilometers) twice in two weeks, and NASA announced intentions to offer cash prizes for private space accomplishments through its Centennial Challenges office, which may offer prizes that range from $250,000 to $30 million.

While all this money is being offered as incentives to create housing in space, any idea how much is being offered as incentives to create affordable housing on earth, specially for the half of the world's population which lives on less than $2 a day? Sphere: Related Content