(Business 2.0) - Since the dawn of space travel, this ambitious endeavor has solely been the bailiwick of government bureaucracy. But that's changing, as a fleet of entrepreneurs and big businesses alike look to exploit the many commercial opportunities in outer space.

Their plans range from the mundane to the fantastic, including a space hotel -- you've got to sleep somewhere when you're not on earth -- a space elevator and a trip to Mars.

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Profits set to soar in outer space Out-of-this-world opportunities The Silicon Valley of spaceflight Cashing in on Mars Millionaires on the launchpad The 62,000-mile elevator ride Building zero-G boomtowns Why space needs you

Whether or not any of these projects come to fruition may be debatable, but one thing is for sure: Plenty of money will be spent trying to get them off the ground.

To see a photo gallery of commercial opportunities in space, click here.