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science2h ago
25 Years After First Private Astronaut, Will Space Tourism Ever Fly?
- Space tourism remains a niche, with limited paying travelers and slow growth despite renewed interest from Artemis II and major launches.
- Virgin Galactic has not flown space tourists since 2024, with a new spacecraft expected by end of 2026.
- Blue Origin has launched the most space tourists to date but paused New Shepard flights for at least two years.
- Analysts project a much larger future market, but the timeline depends on costs and demand for private space trips.
- SpaceX focuses more on government and commercial payloads, with only a minority of flights serving external customers.
- Dennis Tito remains the historical benchmark for private space travel, with a $20 million journey to the ISS.
- Extended training and age-inclusive missions have diversified the profile of space tourists over time.
- The industry has shifted toward satellite deployment and broader commercial work as a primary focus.
- Stakeholders acknowledge a slow but persistent push from individual travelers who aim to advance the industry.
- The article notes a changing leadership in space tourism, with Elon Musk focusing on Mars and less emphasis on suborbital trips.
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