Space Tourism

Learn the latest news about space tourism and space tourist trips into outer space. Space.com looks at the growing business of space tourism. 

Related Topics: SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, Incredible Space Tech, International Space Station, Interstellar Travel 

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a space capsule launches away from its rocket atop a pillar of flame, with blue sky in the background.

FAA closes investigation of Blue Origin launch failure

By Mike Wall published

The Federal Aviation Administration has finished investigating the failure suffered by Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital vehicle on Sept. 12, 2022.

five skydivers hold each others' arms high above a desert landscape.

Private astronaut sets HALO skydiving record (video, photos)

By Mike Wall last updated

Ax-1's Larry Connor and the rest of the 'Alpha 5' team set a new HALO formation skydiving world record on Thursday morning (Sept. 28).

earth as seen from virgin galactic's vss unity suborbital space plane.

Virgin Galactic's next flight will take a Pakistani to space for the 1st time

By Mike Wall published

Namira Slim will become the first person from Pakistan to reach space on Virgin Galactic's 'Galactic 04' mission, which is slated to fly on Oct. 5.

earth as seen from virgin galactic's vss unity suborbital space plane.

Virgin Galactic to launch next space tourist mission on Oct. 5

By Mike Wall published

Virgin Galactic plans to launch 'Galactic 04,' its fifth spaceflight in the last five months, on Oct. 5 from Spaceport America in New Mexico.

a space capsule launches away from its rocket atop a pillar of flame, with blue sky in the background.

1 year after launch failure, Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket remains grounded

By Mike Wall published

Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital space tourism vehicle suffered a failure during an uncrewed flight on Sept. 12, 2022. It hasn't launched since.

the curvature of Earth can be seen behind a silver spaceplane

Virgin Galactic launches 3 of its original space tourist customers to the final frontier (video)

By Mike Wall published

Virgin Galactic launched three of its longest-standing ticketholders today (Sept. 8), sending them to suborbital space on the 'Galactic 03' mission.

part of a shiny silver spacecraft with earth and the blackness of space in the background.

Virgin Galactic will launch some of its 1st space tourist customers on 'Galactic 03' today. But who's flying?

By Mike Wall last updated

Virgin Galactic plans to launch its 'Galactic 03' space tourism mission on Sept. 8, sending three customers to the final frontier and back. You won't be able to watch it live, though.

The silhouette of couple standing in a field near a tree, holding hands, gazing up the milky way and a vibrant starry night sky.

Sex between space tourists will happen eventually. But are we ready for babies conceived off Earth?

By David Cullen published

Humans have a knack for sharing intimate moments in unlikely places...

a silver-white space plane fires its rocket motor with the curve of Earth and the blackness of space in the background

Virgin Galactic to launch next space tourist flight on Sept. 8

By Mike Wall published

Virgin Galactic will launch 'Galactic 03' on Sept. 8, its third commercial spaceflight and eighth space mission overall.

Keisha Schahaff takes in the view of Earth on Aug. 10, 2023, during Galactic 02, Virgin Galactic’s first private astronaut mission.

Fly along with Virgin Galactic's 1st private astronauts on landmark mission (video)

By Mike Wall published

A recently released video gives us an astronaut's-eye view of Virgin Galactic's second-ever commercial spaceflight, which the company aced last week.

A space plane fires its rocket engine against a dark sky.

Virgin Galactic launches 1st mother-daughter team and 1st Olympian to space on 2nd commercial flight (video)

By Mike Wall published

Virgin Galactic flew its second-ever commercial mission today (Aug. 10), a flight that made history in multiple ways.

a white and purple space plane soars through the air with mountains in the background

What time is Virgin Galactic's Galactic-02 space tourist launch today? Here's how to watch live.

By Josh Dinner published

Virgin Galactic's reusable spaceplane, VSS Unity, will launch its second commercial spaceflight mission today (Aug. 10). Here's how to follow the action.

A white, grey-haired man with a beard, a smiling black woman, and a younger smiling black woman with facial piercings pose for the Galactic02 crew portrait.

Meet the crew of Virgin Galactic's 2nd commercial spaceflight

By Josh Dinner published

Virgin Galactic has announced the crew of its second commercial spaceflight mission, set to launch Aug. 10.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon Endeavour carrying the Ax-1 private astronaut crew for Axiom Space docks at the International Space Station on April 9, 2022.

NASA and Axiom Space sign-on for 4th private astronaut mission to space station

By Josh Dinner published

NASA and Axiom Space are honing in on launch dates for the next two private astronaut missions to the International Space Station (ISS).

a silver rocket in orbit

NASA eyeing SpaceX's Starship as possible space station

By Josh Dinner published

SpaceX and NASA are working to include Starship in an architecture of low Earth orbit opportunities by considering the massive spacecraft for use as a space station.

A helicopter flies by NASA's tall, rectangular Vehicle Assembly Building as a sunset-kissed sky fades from blue to hues of orange and yellow behind wisps of pink-tinted clouds.

Most Americans expect routine space tourism by 2073, but few would actually try it: report

By Josh Dinner published

A Pew Research Center report reveals more than half of Americans expects to have access to space, but barely a third would be willing to make the trip themselves.

a brightly-lit bar in an airplane cabin

Truly to open 1st zero-gravity hard seltzer bar aboard astronaut training aircraft

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

A popular hard seltzer brand is giving new meaning to the term 'pop-up bar' with a zero-g twist that could have its fans popping up and down and in every which way this summer.

a white, twin-fuselage airplane flies in a light-blue sky with a space plane beneath its wings

Virgin Galactic set to launch crucial 1st commercial SpaceShipTwo mission today

By Andrew Jones published

Virgin Galactic is ready to launch the first commercial mission of its SpaceShipTwo space plane on Thursday (June 29). Success would be huge for the ambitious company.

virgin galactic's space plane vss unity soars above the new mexican desert during a test flight

How many people can fly on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo space plane?

By Samantha Mathewson published

Virgin Galactic's first commercial spaceflight, a four-passenger mission, is scheduled to launch on Thursday (June 29). How many people can the company's SpaceShipTwo really carry?

Photo of Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity space plane, with the curve of Earth and the blackness of space in the background.

Watch Virgin Galactic's 1st commercial spaceflight launch live online in this livestream today

By Elizabeth Howell last updated

The 90-minute flight will bring the first Virgin Galactic commercial crew to space as the company starts planned monthly flights.