RETRACTED: A STUDY ON PUBLIC OPINION ABOUT SPACE TOURISM: LEGAL CONCERNS ON LIABILITY, SAFETY, AND RIGHTS

Space tourism is rapidly evolving into a commercial reality, driven by private entities like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic, with over 50 suborbital flights recorded in 2025 alone and record-breaking orbital launches exceeding 278 successes globally. Recent developments, such as China's debut space tourism project at the Shenzhen High-Tech Fair and Canada's historic investments at the ESA Ministerial Council (November 26–27, 2025), underscore the sector's momentum. However, underdeveloped legal frameworks—rooted in state-centric treaties like the Outer Space Treaty (1967)—create uncertainties in liability, passenger safety, and consumer rights for private actors. This study empirically assesses public perceptions of these issues among 210 respondents in Chennai, India, using structured surveys analyzed via SPSS. Findings indicate low awareness (60.3% unaware of space tourism), disinterest (71.7% unwilling to participate), and strong calls for global regulations (54.72% support an international framework). While public opinion highlights risks like economic inequality and inadequate protections, expert views (drawn from literature) emphasize the need for balanced, authoritative policy formulation. Limitations include regional sampling bias, underscoring the urgency for comprehensive national and international reforms to foster safe, equitable space tourism amid 2025's geopolitical shifts.