Space tourism is becoming a reality. Here's how to make your first trip
In the next two years, you will be able to make a trip to outer space just as easily as you would to the Grand Canyon or the Taj Mahal. Recent weeks have seen earth breaking innovations in astronomy that could make space tourism a reality.
Early this month Richard Branson of the Virgin conglomerate made his first trip to space through his space company Virgin Galactic. Former Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, is following in Branson’s footsteps with his maiden flight to space on July 20, through his company Blue Origin.
Richard Branson aboard the Virgin Galactic rocket plane| Photo: Virgin Galactic/Reuters
The two companies have announced plans to open up commercial space tourism in future with Virgin Galactic’s first commercial space flight expected to launch in 2022. According to the company, wanderlusters who want to experience a taste of outer space will have to undergo a five-day training to prepare them for the flight. Already the company has sold over 600 tickets going for between $200,000 to $250,000 each. However, the ticket price is expected to go higher with time soon.
Blue Origin, on its part, will take potential astronauts through a training schedule that will teach them everything they need to know about space. Trainees are also expected to climb seven flights of stairs in just one minute and a half and weigh between 50 and 100 kgs. The company has not yet announced its ticket prices but plans are underway to start commercial flights in 2022.
Jeff Bezos, in a mockup crew capsule of a Blue Origin rocket| Photo: Nick Cote / The New York Times
Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic are not the only companies offering space flights. Space Perspective, another American company based in Florida, is offering Space flights for $125,000. While the space flights will not get to the boundary of space, the company has sold over 300 tickets for its maiden flight slated for 2024.
Elon Musk’s Space X will also launch space flights soon. According to reports, flights will launch further into space and will cost tens of millions of dollars.
It seems the sky is no longer the limit.