The "billionaires going to space" meme itself, as portrayed in things like Elysium, is a myth. Adventurous entrepreneurs like Sir Richard Branson, Dennis Tito (is he a billionaire?), and Yusaku Maezawa are the rare exception. Most rich people want to live comfortably on the ground and spend their wealth on decadent luxuries. Space travel and colonization will be for the brave souls willing to tough out cramped living conditions, stale air, unhealthy micro-g, radiation, and a high chance they won't make it back safely. Even if we have space hotels for the rich, Earth will always be the paradise we are trying to copy.

Elon Musk said he'd wouldn't go to Mars unless a developed colony is waiting and he's about to die. Jeff Bezos isn't planning to travel unless it's perfectly safe, and you know he'd never follow through on his "earth zoo" philosophy and live on a space station. I don't think he really believes it himself.

The elites want us plebs to go work in the off-world colonies so they can have Earth to themselves.