Is there a race between Space Adventures and Virgin Galactic?

That’s the gist of a short Flight International article about the two companies, based on comments that representatives of the two companies made at a space tourism forum last week in London. According to the article, Chris Faranetta of Space Adventures said that “it is a race” to see who would be the first to offer suborbital space tourism services, while Virgin Galactic president Will Whitehorn said “he was only interested in developing the safest system.”

This sort of jockeying is not unique to companies trying to break into, or create, a new market. The comments say something about the relative position of the two companies: those companies that believe they are, or are perceived to be, in the lead, have little incentive to play up a race with lagging competitors, while those farther behind will do just that to more closely associate themselves with the market leader. Virgin Galactic is certainly perceived as the market leader for suborbital space tourism. Virgin Galactic is sticking to a late 2008 date for beginning commercial service, while Space Adventures has not disclosed a date for its Russian-developed Explorer, although the company has downplayed Russian reports that the Explorer will not be ready for test flights until at least 2009.