This paper draws attention to the essential role of space tourism, as a commercial enabler, in the development ofa sustainable long term strategy for exploration and settlement of solar system objects. Since governments will not beable to obtain all of the necessary funding and public support over the long duration necessary (multiple electioncycles in democracies) in order to unilaterally, or even in collaboration, conduct missions to explore and colonize theMoon, Mars or other solar system objects, other alternative sources for such funding are explored. These sourceswould provide an economic development basis for such a venture, and simultaneously engage the general publicthrough direct involvement to eventually make such a venture possible. The analysis determines that space tourismis the one near-term commercial space market sector whose development can lead to the desired long term results. Amajor consequence of a successful space tourism industry, in addition to creating an involved public, will be regular,safe and relatively low cost journeys to and from low earth orbit. This in turn can lead to a new starting point, orplatform, for the long term exploration and settlement of the solar system through further economic developmentstages. A basic architecture is described for a sustainable approach to the exploration and colonization of solarsystem objects, which relies as a key factor on the successful development of a viable space tourism industry, and anew destination for orbital space tourists, "Spaceport Earth".
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