The billion-dollar space tourism industry offers jaunts—whether for minutes or days—into zero-gravity conditions for recreation rather than scientific research.
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Astronauts regularly report profound realizations after seeing Earth from space for the first time, sometimes prompting significant philosophical changes, including a greater awareness of the interconnectedness and fragility of life.
One thing missing from life in space—for astronauts and tourists both—is everyday comfort. Starlab Space has partnered with Hilton Hotels to bring the amenities we’re used to down here on Earth up into orbit. Watch a rendered 3-D fly-through of Starlab Space Station, projected to launch in 2028, showcasing how an astronaut’s journey—from launch to orbit to re-entry—can be softened by the hospitality mindset.
Since the early 2020s, three major space tourism agencies have dominated the industry. However, they offer radically different experiences. This AFAR magazine article explains what separates Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, and Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Complete with training regimens, price, and method, find out what it looks like to sign on for a trip of a lifetime with these agencies.
SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission launched in 2021, marking the first all-civilian crew to head into space. Their second mission, Polaris Dawn, broke even more records. The mission travelled farther away from Earth than anyone has been since the Apollo missions and conducted the first commercial spacewalk—a crucial test for SpaceX’s EVA suits that the company expects to make millions of for the jump to colonizing the Moon and Mars.
The cost of one SpaceX launch today is estimated to cost 97% less than the price of a Russian Soyuz rocket in the 1960s, a price reduction providing access to many smaller manufacturers and transforming the industry.
Space philosopher Frank White has interviewed dozens of astronauts about their experiences, and one common theme stands out: a life-shifting perspective after viewing Earth from space. Identifying space tourism as one way to experience this "Overview Effect," White talks on NASA’s "Houston We Have a Podcast" about being inspired by Princeton physicist Gerard K. O'Neill's vision of a habitat in space for all people, not just scientists.
Should those entering the final frontier on commercial flights earn the same moniker that takes years to obtain through traditional routes? Whether someone is an astronaut may become murkier as the private space sector takes flight. This article...
Sending an astronaut to space is a complex idea, even before asking: When do they get there? There’s no clear border between our blue blob and space, so how do we know someone has officially crossed the threshold between the two? This article breaks down the Karman line, the somewhat arbitrary divider between heaven and Earth.
The historical flight of SpaceShipOne—the first privately built spacecraft to reach the boundary of space–marked the fiery beginning of Richard Branson’s company Virgin Galactic. Watching NASA’s moon landings as a child, Branson was forever inspired to go to space. Decades later, that dream became a reality. Watch the story of Virgin Galactic—one that Branson hopes will inspire millions of children to fulfill the same dream.
If you want to be a space tourist, intense training to combat against the heavy g-forces associated with rocket travel is necessary. One company, Space Perspective, offers a gentler option: Spaceship Neptune. This teardrop-shaped craft travels at a leisurely 12 mph, carried just above Earth’s atmosphere by a giant stratospheric balloon.
From roughly 60 miles above the Earth's surface to farther than light has traveled during the entire age of the universe, space has captured human imagination for millennia. Explore the final frontier with the best resources curated from across the internet.