Future of Space Tourism: Costs, Leading Companies, and What's Next for Commercial Space Travel
Explore the future of space tourism, its costs, leading companies, and innovations shaping the next era of commercial space travel.
Sudip Basnet 
Space Tourism, once confined as a science fiction, has now become a reality with evolving industry with tangible possibilities in future.
On the 12th of April 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became first ever human to travel into the space. On that day, He had achieved and witnessed something that no human ever did. As of now, More than 600 people have reached the outer space and most of them are astronauts who are prepared for their space missions.
So How did the concept of Space Tourism start?
It all began On April 30th, 2001 when a entrepreneur named Dennis Tito was accepted by Russian Space Agency for their first arranged project Mir (space station operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, first by the Soviet Union and later by the Russian Federation) as a candidate for commercial spaceflight.
It costed him $20 million for almost 8 days trip. In next few decades, the dream of witnessing space is possible and can go much more cheaper than $20 million Dennis spent.
Different private companies like SpaceX, Virgin Galatic and Blue Origin have tested their initial flights sending humans to space commercially. Let's see how these companies have done so far and how much the trip will cost you.
Space X
Space X is an American space technology company founded in 2002 by Elon Musk. Space X has made abundant advancements in rocket propulsion, reusable launch vehicle and human spaceflight. Marking it significant achievements on space exploration programs, Space X has made an impact on space technology.
Space X offers a range of commericial launch services which Starts at $300,000 for payloads up to 50 kg, with additional mass priced at $6,000 per kg.
Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic is a British-American spaceflight company founded by Richard Branson. Virgin Galactic launched its first commercial space tourism flight called Galactic 01 in June 2023 marking a significant milestone. Tickets for space programs initially cost around $250,000 to $450,000 per seat.
Blue Origin
Blue Origin is an Americam Space Technology Company founded by Jeff Bezos. Blue Origin space flights are expected to cost between $200,000 and $300,000 per person.
Despite the advancements made by these companies in making space tourism a reality, the experience remains out of reach for many due to its high costs and limited availability.
However, as the industry evolves, there is hope that in the future, space travel will become more accessible, allowing space enthusiasts to fulfill their dreams of venturing into the cosmos.
