Space tourism is one of the most exciting developments in the travel and tourism industry. A futuristic type of tourism, the idea of spending leisure time in space was once science fiction, but private companies have now flown hundreds of paying and sponsored passengers beyond the atmosphere. This article explains what space tourism is, its history, the different types of space tourism, the main companies involved, safety and cost.
What is space tourism?
Space tourism is a type of tourism that involves an interest in space. Whilst most people associate space tourism solely with trips to space, the concept of space tourism is, in fact, broader than this.
Space tourism can include visiting space-focussed museums, watching rocket launches or travelling to destinations popular for stargazing, amongst other space-related activities.
Most recently, there has been a lot of commercial attention centred around the concept of travelling to space as a tourist; companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic have now made this a reality for a small number of wealthy travellers.
Video: What is space tourism and how does it work?
Space tourism definitions
Most online definitions describe space tourism as travelling to space for leisure, recreational or business purposes.
However, many argue that space tourism should not be limited to the act of travelling to space. There are many other space-related activities that people travel for without ever boarding a rocket.
The team at The Space Tourism Guide argue that:
‘Space Tourism is not — and should not be — confined to space alone… While we can and should consider all of the activities from space tourism companies like Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, Zero2Infinity, and others space tourism, we should not discredit the companies and destinations here on earth who meet the needs and desires for all of us who love to travel for space-related activities. These can vary widely, from cities and museums like Space Center Houston to hotels with space-themed rooms.’
Under this broader view, space tourism encompasses all tourism activities related to space and astronomy.
Academic research into space tourism is still relatively limited. Much of the research that has been conducted has focused on potential demand, market demographics and the environmental and ethical implications of commercial spaceflight.
Taking these perspectives into account, a broad definition of space tourism is:
‘Space tourism is the act of taking part in activities that involve or are related to space, either for business or leisure purposes.’
History of space tourism
Around 700 people have now travelled to space. The first human to reach space was Yuri Gagarin in 1961, but people have been fascinated by the stars for far longer. Ancient monuments such as the pyramids of Giza are thought to have been aligned with the stars.
Interest in space, and travel to experience it, is therefore not new.
The 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s saw huge progress in space research. The Soviet Union and the United States led the ‘space race’, sending humans into orbit and to the Moon and exploring the solar system with robotic probes.
Commercial space tourism began in 2001, when American businessman Dennis Tito paid a reported US$20 million to fly to the International Space Station on a Russian Soyuz rocket, through the company Space Adventures. Seven private individuals made similar trips between 2001 and 2009. In 2021, space tourism entered a new era: Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin flew their founders on suborbital flights, and SpaceX’s Inspiration4 became the first all-civilian mission to orbit.
Despite this progress, a trip to space remains far beyond the reach of most people, and many travellers will continue to choose more traditional holidays.
For now, travelling into space is available only to the very wealthy or to those sponsored by others. However, the wider space tourism industry – museums, stargazing, rocket launches and more – is accessible to many more people.
Types of space tourism
While most people cannot yet travel to space on holiday, there are many other ways to take part in space tourism. Here are some examples.
Stargazing
Stargazing is a popular form of space tourism. Many destinations are renowned for their dark skies, usually in remote areas with little light pollution. DarkSky International has certified more than 200 International Dark Sky Places around the world, including national parks, reserves and communities.
Some popular stargazing destinations have capitalised on the tourist market by organising stargazing tours or stargazing-focussed accommodation options, such as bubble hotels. This CNN article showcases some of the best bubble hotel spots around the world. Many people also travel to see the Northern Lights or the Southern Lights too.
Many of these destinations are also ideal for astrophotography too!
Rocket launches
Whilst a rocket launch may not be an everyday occurrence, it is possible to spectate when they do happen. Once operated only by governments, launches are now frequently carried out by private companies such as SpaceX, whose launches from Florida’s Space Coast attract large numbers of spectators.
If you travel to a destination with the sole intention of watching a rocket launch, or if you watch a rocket launch alongside other business or leisure pursuits, you can be classified as a space tourist.
Space museums
Space museums are a prominent part of the space tourism industry.
There are many museums throughout the world that focus on the concept of space, particularly in the United States and Russia. Here are some of the most highly-rated space museums.
- Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC, US
- Canada Aviation and Space Museum, Ottawa, Canada
- Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics, Moscow, Russia
- Pima Air and Space Museum, Arizona, US
- Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, New York City, US
- Le Bourget Air and Space Museum, Paris, France
- Kennedy Space Center, Florida, US
- Cité de l’espace, Toulouse, France
Space tourism holidays
Trips into space are what many people think of as space tourism. They have attracted huge media attention, and the idea of swapping two weeks in the sun for a trip to space captures the imagination.
Space travel is demanding: passengers must undergo training, cope with high g-forces and adjust to weightlessness, and many experience space motion sickness. Most current trips are short suborbital flights lasting around 10-90 minutes, while orbital missions can last several days or weeks.
Several companies now offer, or are developing, trips to space, although availability remains extremely limited.
Space tourism companies
The key players in space tourism include:
Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic, founded by Richard Branson, flies passengers on suborbital flights using a spaceplane launched from a carrier aircraft over Spaceport America in New Mexico. Branson flew on the company’s first fully crewed test flight in July 2021.
The company began commercial service in June 2023 and flew several missions with paying tourists before pausing flights in mid-2024 to develop its new Delta-class spaceships, with flights planned to resume in 2026.
Virgin Galactic has faced setbacks, including multiple delays and the loss of its VSS Enterprise spaceplane in a test flight crash in 2014, which killed one of the pilots.
SpaceX
SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, is the most experienced private company in crewed spaceflight. Its Crew Dragon spacecraft carries astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA and also flies private missions.
Notable private missions include Inspiration4 (2021), the first all-civilian orbital mission; Axiom Space missions to the International Space Station from 2022 onwards; Polaris Dawn (2024), which included the first commercial spacewalk; and Fram2 (2025), the first crewed flight over the Earth’s poles.
Blue Origin
Blue Origin flies passengers on short suborbital flights aboard its New Shepard rocket and capsule, which launches vertically from West Texas and crosses the Kármán line (100 km) before returning by parachute.
Blue Origin was founded in 2000 by Jeff Bezos, who flew on its first crewed flight in July 2021. Passengers have included William Shatner and an all-female crew in 2025, although the company announced in early 2026 that it would pause New Shepard flights to focus on its lunar programme.
Space Adventures and Axiom Space
Space Adventures arranged the first private trips to the International Space Station on Russian Soyuz spacecraft from 2001, and flew Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa to the station in 2021.
Axiom Space organises private astronaut missions to the International Space Station using SpaceX Crew Dragon, with seats reportedly costing tens of millions of dollars. It is also developing its own commercial space station.
Future space hotels and stations
Several companies are developing commercial space stations to replace the International Space Station, which is due to be retired around 2030.
These include Axiom Station, Vast’s Haven-1 and Starlab. Early concepts for ‘space hotels’ – such as Orion Span’s proposed Aurora Station – did not go ahead, but commercial stations may eventually host tourists as well as researchers.
Is space tourism safe?
There have been concerns about the safety of space tourism, particularly after the Virgin Galactic crash in 2014.
In the USA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) licenses launches to protect the public, but has so far been restricted by law from imposing detailed safety regulations to protect passengers, during a so-called ‘learning period’. Instead, space tourists fly on the basis of informed consent.
Critics warn that fatal accidents are likely as the industry grows, as spaceflight remains inherently risky. Space tourism also raises environmental concerns, including emissions and black carbon from rocket launches.
The cost of space tourism holidays
Space tourism is not yet accessible to most people, because tickets are extremely expensive.
A suborbital flight with Virgin Galactic has been priced at around US$450,000-600,000, while orbital missions to the International Space Station cost tens of millions of dollars per seat. Prices typically include pre-flight training and equipment. Suborbital trips last only minutes in space, while orbital missions can last several days or weeks.
Space tourism: Conclusion
Space tourism is a growing part of the wider tourism industry. While most attention goes to trips into space, there are many other leisure activities, from stargazing to visiting space museums and watching launches, that also count as space tourism.
Commercial spaceflight has advanced rapidly since 2021, and further developments, including commercial space stations, are likely in the coming years. However, cost, safety and environmental impacts mean that travelling to space will remain an exclusive experience for the foreseeable future.
Space tourism: FAQs
Below are answers to some of the most common questions about space tourism.
What is space tourism?
Space tourism is travel for leisure or business that involves space, from trips into space itself to stargazing, watching rocket launches and visiting space museums.
Who was the first space tourist?
American businessman Dennis Tito became the first paying space tourist in 2001, when he flew to the International Space Station on a Russian Soyuz rocket.
Which companies offer space tourism?
The main companies include SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, Axiom Space and Space Adventures.
How much does space tourism cost?
Suborbital flights have been priced at around US$450,000-600,000, while orbital trips to the International Space Station cost tens of millions of dollars.
Is space tourism safe?
Spaceflight carries significant risks. In the USA, passengers fly on the basis of informed consent, and there have been fatal accidents during test flights, such as the Virgin Galactic crash in 2014.
Further reading
Useful reading on space tourism includes Geoffrey Crouch’s paper The Market for Space Tourism: Early Indications, Scott Kelly’s memoir Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery and Patrick Stakem’s Space Tourism. If you found this article helpful, the following posts may also be of interest:
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