Singer Katy Perry joined a Blue Origin flight on Monday alongside five other women, making headlines as part of the first all-female space crew in over 60 years.
Blue Origin’s well-known New Shepard spacecraft can carry up to six passengers on a short journey beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, allowing them to experience weightlessness and see the planet from space.
As of the latest launch on Monday morning, only 58 people have travelled more than 60 miles above Earth with Blue Origin since it began crewed missions in 2021.
On May 19, 2024, Indian-born entrepreneur Gopi Thotakura made history by becoming the first Indian citizen to take part in a space tourism flight.
How much would it cost for an ordinary person to take a similar trip?
A steep price tag
For those hoping to experience space tourism, it isn’t cheap. While Blue Origin doesn’t openly display ticket prices, its website does ask potential flyers to submit personal details and agree to a $150,000 deposit.
Reports show that seats on earlier flights have fetched millions. One was even auctioned off for $28 million in 2021, writes USA today.
The flyer also needs to be 18 years or older.
Fame flies free
Not everyone pays. Celebrities like William Shatner and Michael Strahan reportedly didn’t pay a rupee for their spaceflights.
If you can pay
Other companies are offering similar experiences. A seat on Virgin Galactic’s sub-orbital flights costs around $450,000.
In 2021, SpaceX launched a fully civilian mission into orbit, funded by billionaire Jared Isaacman, currently nominated to be Nasa chief, at an estimated cost of $220 million.
For now, a seat to space is reserved for the ultra-rich or the ultra-famous. But the growing number of private players may one day bring the stars closer to the rest of us.
Blue Origin’s well-known New Shepard spacecraft can carry up to six passengers on a short journey beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, allowing them to experience weightlessness and see the planet from space.
As of the latest launch on Monday morning, only 58 people have travelled more than 60 miles above Earth with Blue Origin since it began crewed missions in 2021.
On May 19, 2024, Indian-born entrepreneur Gopi Thotakura made history by becoming the first Indian citizen to take part in a space tourism flight.
How much would it cost for an ordinary person to take a similar trip?
A steep price tag
For those hoping to experience space tourism, it isn’t cheap. While Blue Origin doesn’t openly display ticket prices, its website does ask potential flyers to submit personal details and agree to a $150,000 deposit.
Reports show that seats on earlier flights have fetched millions. One was even auctioned off for $28 million in 2021, writes USA today.
The flyer also needs to be 18 years or older.
Fame flies free
Not everyone pays. Celebrities like William Shatner and Michael Strahan reportedly didn’t pay a rupee for their spaceflights.
If you can pay
Other companies are offering similar experiences. A seat on Virgin Galactic’s sub-orbital flights costs around $450,000.
In 2021, SpaceX launched a fully civilian mission into orbit, funded by billionaire Jared Isaacman, currently nominated to be Nasa chief, at an estimated cost of $220 million.
For now, a seat to space is reserved for the ultra-rich or the ultra-famous. But the growing number of private players may one day bring the stars closer to the rest of us.
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