Space tourism is quickly becoming a reality as companies around the world work to make commercial space flights accessible to the public. With the growing interest in private space exploration, more firms are entering the market, offering unique opportunities for civilians to experience the wonders of space. From suborbital flights to longer-term plans for lunar missions, the race to make space travel more affordable and frequent is accelerating. Among the players in this industry, Chinese companies are making significant strides, contributing to the global competition in space exploration.
Deep Blue Aerospace, a leading Chinese aerospace company, will begin selling two tickets for its highly anticipated commercial spaceflight, scheduled for 2027. Each ticket is priced at 1.5 million yuan (roughly $211,000), offering passengers the opportunity to experience a few minutes of weightlessness in space.
Space tourism tickets available via livestream event
The tickets will be available for purchase starting at 6:00 pm local time (10:00 GMT). Sales will take place during a livestream shopping event hosted by the company’s founder, Huo Liang. This was announced through Deep Blue Aerospace’s WeChat account earlier this week. To secure a seat, buyers must pay a 50,000 yuan deposit.
The spaceflight will be suborbital, meaning passengers will reach the edge of space but will not enter a full orbit around Earth. Passengers will spend about 12 minutes in space, with five of those minutes experiencing zero gravity.
Deep Blue Aerospace focuses on reusable rocket technology in China’s growing space sector
Deep Blue Aerospace aims to reduce the cost of space travel by developing reusable rocket technology, following in the footsteps of companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Reusability is seen as a major breakthrough in lowering the expenses of launching commercial space flights.
China is rapidly expanding its commercial space sector. According to state media, the country conducted 26 commercial launches in 2023. Among these was LandSpace’s Zhuque-2 rocket, the first rocket in the world to use methane fuel. Deep Blue Aerospace is a key player in this burgeoning market.
China’s expanding space industry and government-backed ambitions
Several companies have entered China’s commercial space industry in recent years. In May 2023, another firm, CAS Space, announced plans to offer space tourism flights by 2028, adding to the growing interest in space travel within the country.
While commercial companies make strides, China’s government-backed space program has ambitious plans of its own. The country aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030, with the long-term goal of building a lunar base. These projects highlight China’s drive to compete in space exploration on a global scale.
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