How will Florida's Space Coast play a role in private space travels?
Hide Transcript Show Transcript  ANYONE WHO ATTEMPT TO STLEA TRADE SECRETS EVEN MORE SEVERE. SUMMER: SPACE EXPLORATION IS NO LONGER ONLY FOR THE BRAVE. SOME OF THE WORLDS RICHTES TYCOONS ARE MAKING THEIR OWN PLANS TO F.LY STEWART: AMONG THEM, JEFF BEZOS. WORD OF HIS PLANS IS SPARKING CONVERSATION ABOUT SPACE TOUSMRI AND THE ROLE CENTRAL FLORIDA CO ULD PLAY IN THE NEW BUSINESS. WESH 2S MATT LUPOLI REPORT MATT: "THE GREATEST ADNTVEURE." THATS HOW AMAZ FONOUNDER JEFF BEZOS DESCRIBES HIS UPCOMING TRIP ON THE ROCKET SHIP BEING LAUNCHED NEXT MONTH BY ATHNOER COMPANY HE STARTED, BLUE ORIGIN. >> ITS A BIG DEAL FOR ME. I INVITED MY BROTHER TO COME ON THIS FIRST FLIGHT BECAUSE WE'R CLOSEST FRIENDS. MATT: THE FLIGHT MARKS THE START OF SO-CALLED SPACE TOURI.SM BLUE ORIGIN HAS FACILITIESND A EMPLOYEES ON FLORIDAS SPACE COAST, BUT ITS FIRST SHIPS LAUNCH TRAJECTORY ISNT SUITED FOR THE CA, PEAND LAUNCHES IN TEXAS. BUT OTHER UPCOMING PLANS INVOLVE THE SPACE COAST, AND MORE COULD. >> WERE NOTOI GNG TO CAPTURE EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE, BUT FLORIDAS WELL-POSITIONED TO CAPTURE MORE THAN ITS FAIR SH ARE. MATT: DALE KETCHAM IS A CEVI PRESIDENT AT SPACE FLORIDA. HE SAYS BLUE ORIGIN HAS TWO BIG RIVALS PLANNING TO BRING CIVILIANS INTO SPACE. ELON MUSKS SPACEX IS EXPECTED TO LAUNCH THE FIRST ALL-CIVILIAN SPACEFLIGHT IN SEPTEMBER FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENT.ER AND MORE SPACEX LAUNCHES ARE BEING BOOKED BY ANOTHER COMPANY FOR AS SOON AS EARLY NEXT YEAR. >> AXIOM IS A MPCOANY THAT SELLS RIDES TO THE INTERNATIONALPA SCE ATN.ST I THINK THEYVE JUST BOUGHT ANOTHER THREE FLIGHTS. THE FACT THAT YOUR HAVING RI VALRIES BETWEEN VERY WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO EXPANDING HUMAN EXPLORATION IN SPACISE NOT ONLY A GOOD THING, ITS KIND OF N.FU MATT: ITS SSPOIBLE RICHARD BRANSONS VIRGIN GALACTIC CODUL LAUNCH FLIGHTS FROM THE CAPE. BRANSON, REACTING TO BEZO' ANNOUNCEMENT, WROTE ON TWITTER, "MANY CONGRATULATIONS TO @JEFFBEZOS & HIS BROTHER MARK ON ANNOUNCING SPACEFLIGHT PLANS -- WATCH THIS SPACE." MATT LUPOLI, WESH 2 NE.WS STEWART: NEW DETAILS ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN AXIOM AND SPACEX WERE JUST REVEALED IN THE --N I PART LAST WEEK. Share Shares Copy Link Copy  New details have been revealed about the partnership between Axiom and SpaceX.They will involve private missions of the Dragon space capsule to the International Space Station with the first possible happening as soon as January 2022.Legendary astronauts are serving as pilots.Space exploration is no longer only for the brave.Some of the world's richest tycoons are making their own plans to fly.Among them, Jeff Bezos.Word of his plans is sparking conversation about space tourism and the role Central Florida could play in the new business. "The greatest adventure. "That's how Amazon founder Jeff Bezos describes his upcoming trip on the rocket ship being launched next month by another company he started, Blue Origin. "It's a big deal for me. I invited my brother to come on this first flight because we're closest friends," Bezos said.The flight marks the start of so-called space tourism.Blue Origin has facilities and employees on Florida's Space Coast, but its first ship's launch trajectory isn't suited for The Cape and launches in Texas.But other upcoming plans involve the Space Coast, and more could. "We're not going to capture everything in the universe, but Florida's well-positioned to capture more than its fair share," said Dale Ketcham, vice president of Space Florida.Ketcham says Blue Origin has two big rivals planning to bring civilians into space.Elon Musk's SpaceX is expected to launch the first all-civilian space flight in September from Kennedy Space Center.And more SpaceX launches are being booked by another company for as soon as early next year. "The fact that you're having rivalries between very wealthy individuals who are committed to expanding human exploration in space is not only a good thing, it's kind of fun," Ketcham said.It's possible Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic could launch flights from The Cape.Branson, reacting to Bezos' announcement, wrote on Twitter, "Many congratulations to @JeffBezos & his brother Mark on announcing spaceflight plans." He went on to say, "Watch this space."