▁originally ▁fund ed ▁by ▁govern ments . ▁ ▁Private ▁space fl ight ▁is ▁a ▁rapidly ▁developing ▁area : ▁space ▁flight ▁that ▁is ▁not ▁only ▁paid ▁for ▁by ▁corpor ations ▁or ▁even ▁private ▁individuals , ▁but ▁often ▁provided ▁by ▁private ▁space fl ight ▁companies . ▁These ▁companies ▁often ▁assert ▁that ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁previous ▁high ▁cost ▁of ▁access ▁to ▁space ▁was ▁caused ▁by ▁government al ▁in e ffic ien cies ▁they ▁can ▁avoid . ▁This ▁assertion ▁can ▁be ▁supported ▁by ▁much ▁lower ▁published ▁launch ▁costs ▁for ▁private ▁space ▁launch ▁vehicles ▁such ▁as ▁Fal con ▁ 9 ▁developed ▁with ▁private ▁finan cing . ▁Lower ▁launch ▁costs ▁and ▁excellent ▁safety ▁will ▁be ▁required ▁for ▁the ▁applications ▁such ▁as ▁Space ▁tour ism ▁and ▁especially ▁Space ▁colon ization ▁to ▁become ▁successful . ▁ ▁Space f aring ▁nations ▁and ▁other ▁entities ▁ ▁To ▁be ▁space f aring ▁is ▁to ▁be ▁capable ▁of ▁and ▁active ▁in ▁space ▁travel ▁or ▁space ▁transport , ▁the ▁operation ▁of ▁space craft ▁or ▁space plan es . ▁It ▁involves ▁a ▁knowledge ▁of ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁topics ▁and ▁development ▁of ▁special ised ▁skills ▁including : ▁aer onaut ics ; ▁astr onaut ics ; ▁programs ▁to ▁train ▁astr onaut s ; ▁space ▁weather ▁and ▁forec ast ing ; ▁ship - hand ling ▁and ▁small ▁craft ▁handling ; ▁operation ▁of ▁various ▁equipment ; ▁space craft ▁design ▁and ▁construction ; ▁atmos pher ic ▁take off ▁and ▁re entry ; ▁orb ital ▁mechan ics ▁( a . k . a . ▁ast rod ynam ics ); ▁communic ations ; ▁engines