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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Blue Origin's third crewed New Shepard flight, NS-19, will be the first to launch with all six of the spacecraft's seats filled. Laura Shepard Churchley (at right), the eldest daughter of first American in space Alan Shepard, will fly with "Good Morning America" anchor Michael Strahan (at left) and paying passengers Dylan Taylor, Evan Dick and parent-child pair Lane and Cameron Bess.

Blue Origin launch with GMA host Michael Strahan delayed to Saturday by high winds

By Elizabeth Howell published

Windy conditions pushed off the third crewed launch of the New Shepard system.

A view of the Soyuz MS-20 capsule flying near the International Space Station before docking on Dec. 8, 2021.

Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, two crewmates arrive at International Space Station

By Mike Wall published

A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, video producer Yozo Hirano and cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin docked with the orbiting lab early Wednesday (Dec. 8).

Russia's Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft, atop a Soyuz 2.1a rocket, lifts off for a short stay at the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021.

Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa lifts off for space station on Russian Soyuz

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

A Japanese billionaire has launched for the International Space Station to try out life in space before flying to the moon. Yusaku Maezawa flew with Yozo Hirano and Alexander Misurkin on Soyuz MS-20.

Billionaire entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa (left), cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin (center) and video producer Yozo Hirano (right) are scheduled to launch toward the International Space Station on Dec. 8, 2021. Hirano will participate in health-related research during and after the mission.

Japanese space tourist will join human health research effort in orbit

By Elizabeth Howell published

An upcoming 12-day mission to the space station will add to the information available about non-professional astronauts.

Yozo Hirano (left), cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin (center) and Yusaku Maezawa (right) are scheduled to launch toward the International Space Station on Dec. 8, 2021, on a 12-day mission arranged by Virginia-based company Space Adventures in partnership with Russia’s federal space agency Roscosmos. 

Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa will launch to space station early Wednesday: Watch it live

By Elizabeth Howell published

A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, video producer Yozo Hirano and cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin is set to launch at 2:38 a.m. EST.

Laura Shepard Churchley, daughter of astronaut Alan Shepard and Blue Origin NS-19 crew member, waves while seated in a mockup of the New Shepard capsule at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2017.

Astronaut's daughter packs father's space mementos for Blue Origin launch

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Laura Shepard Churchley is bringing more than memories of her father on her Blue Origin launch into space. She has packed a few special items that not only made the trip before, but went to the moon.

Artist's illustration of the space station that Houston-based company Axiom Space plans to build in Earth orbit.

Private habitats, not just the International Space Station, may be needed to get astronauts to Mars: report

By Mike Wall published

Private space stations may end up being a key stepping stone on humanity's path to Mars, a new report by the NASA Office of Inspector General suggests.

Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa (right) poses for a crew photo with his video producer Yozo Hirano and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin during training to launch on a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station. liftoff is set for Dec. 8.

Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa launching to space station next week

By Mike Wall published

A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, video producer Yozo Hirano and cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin is scheduled to launch toward the ISS on Dec. 8.

From left, Omaze CEO and co-founder Matt Pohlson, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, Omaze winner Keisha S., and Space for Humanity Executive Director Rachel Lyons congratulate Keisha at her home in Antigua.

Virgin Galactic announces winner of free trip to suborbital space

By Mike Wall published

Keisha S., a health and energy coach from the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda, just won a free trip to suborbital space with Virgin Galactic.

Blue Origin's third crewed New Shepard flight, NS-19, will be the first to launch with all six of the spacecraft's seats filled. Laura Shepard Churchley (at right), the eldest daughter of first American in space Alan Shepard, will fly with "Good Morning America" anchor Michael Strahan (at left) and paying passengers Dylan Taylor, Evan Dick and parent-child pair Lane and Cameron Bess.

Blue Origin to fly 1st astronaut's daughter, GMA host Michael Strahan on New Shepard spaceflight

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Sixty years after watching her father launch on the first American spaceflight, Laura Shepard Churchley will fly with GMA host Michael Strahan and four paying passengers on Blue Origin's New Shepard.

Blue Origin's official portrait of Glen de Vries, taken ahead of his New Shepard NS-18 spaceflight in 2021.

Glen de Vries, who flew to space with William Shatner, killed in plane crash

By Hanneke Weitering published

Glen de Vries, one of the passengers who accompanied the "Star Trek" legend William Shatner on a Blue Origin spaceflight last month, was killed in a plane crash in New Jersey on Nov. 11.

Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson soars like Superman while in weightlessness during his Unity 22 launch on the SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity on July 11, 2021.

Virgin Galactic sells 100 new tickets for space tourist launches

By Mike Wall published

About 100 people have bought a ticket to ride to suborbital space since Virgin Galactic reopened sales in August, at $450,000 apiece.

Space Craft, a new special release from Samuel Adams, was made using hops flown on the Inspiration4 mission.

Samuel Adams brews 'Space Craft' beer with Inspiration4-flown hops

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

'Who wouldn't order a beer brewed with space hops?'

After flying into space on three New Shepard suborbital flights, Blue Origin's Mannequin Skywalker anthropometric test device has been put on exhibit at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Alabama.

Blue Origin's 'Mannequin Skywalker' goes on display at Space Camp

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

The first passenger to fly with Blue Origin on not just one, but multiple flights into space has retired to the home of Space Camp. Mannequin Skywalker was revealed at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

Elon Musk

Elon Musk: SpaceX founder and revolutionary private space entrepreneur

By Elizabeth Howell, Ailsa Harvey published

REFERENCE Elon Musk is an entrepreneur best known in space circles for launching SpaceX, the first private company to launch a mission to the International Space Station.

Blue Origin has teamed up with Sierra Space, Boeing and others to build Orbital Reef, a private space station, to begin flying by the end of the 2020s.

Blue Origin unveils plans to build a private space station called Orbital Reef by 2030

By Mike Wall published

Blue Origin has teamed up with Boeing and others to build a private space station called Orbital Reef, which is expected to begin flying later this decade.

Adam Dipert space juggler

Space juggling and dance could make suborbital flights more fun

By Elizabeth Howell published

A 'space juggler' plans to release a film shortly about the joys and challenges of doing performance art in zero gravity.

An artist's illustration of the Starlab private space station, a joint project of the companies Nanoracks, Lockheed Martin and Voyager Space. Starlab will be operational by 2027, if all goes according to plan.

Meet Starlab: Private space station planned to fly in 2027

By Mike Wall published

Nanoracks, Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin announced today (Oct. 21) that they plan to get a free-flying private space station called Starlab up and running in low Earth orbit by 2027.

AstroAccess ambassador Centra "Ce-Ce" Mazyck.

Disability ambassadors successfully complete Zero-G flight

By Chelsea Gohd published

A crew of 12 "disability ambassadors" successfully completed a weightless flight Sunday (Oct. 17) in the pursuit to make space accessible for all.

William Shatner floats in front if his window, with the Earth visible in the background, during Blue Origin's New Shepard launch on Oct. 13, 2021 in this video still.

William Shatner oldest astronaut at 90 – Here's how space tourism could affect older people

By Nick Caplan, Christopher Newman published

With commercial spaceflight companies now taking older people to space, it's timely to consider the potential physical impact space flight might have on them.