Editing Space tourism (section)

== Sub-orbital space tourism ==
{{See also|Sub-orbital spaceflight}}

=== Successful projects ===
* [[Scaled Composites]] won the $10&nbsp;million [[Ansari X Prize|X Prize]] in October 2004 with [[SpaceShipOne]], as the first private company to reach and surpass an altitude of {{convert|62|mi|km|abbr=on|order=flip}} twice within two weeks. The altitude is beyond the [[Kármán Line]], the arbitrarily-defined boundary of space.<ref name="Xprize1">{{cite press release |url=http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/spaceshipone_flies_again_within_14_days_-_wins_10m_x_prize |title=SpaceShipOne Flies Again Within 14 Days – Wins $10M X PRIZE |website=Scaled Composites |access-date=April 30, 2013 |archive-date=January 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113174704/http://scaled.com/projects/tierone/spaceshipone_flies_again_within_14_days_-_wins_10m_x_prize |url-status=dead }}</ref> The first flight was flown by [[Mike Melvill|Michael Melvill]] in June 2004, to a height of {{convert|62|mi|km|abbr=on|order=flip}}, making him the first commercial astronaut.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/pilots/michael_w._melvill |title=Michael W. Melvill |website=Scaled Composites |access-date=April 30, 2013 |archive-date=April 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424214944/http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/pilots/michael_w._melvill }}</ref> The prize-winning flight was flown by [[Brian Binnie]], which reached a height of {{convert|69.6|mi|km|abbr=on|order=flip}}, breaking the [[X-15]] record.<ref name="Xprize2">{{cite web |url=http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/041004_spaceshipone_x-prize_flight_2.html |title=SpaceShipOne Captures X-Prize! |website=Scaled Composites |access-date=November 9, 2008 |archive-date=November 5, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081105083543/http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/041004_spaceshipone_x-prize_flight_2.html |url-status=live }}</ref> There were no space tourists on the flights even though the vehicle has seats for three passengers. Instead there was additional weight to make up for the weight of passengers.<ref name="BritannicaTopicSpaceShipOne">{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/SpaceShipOne |title=SpaceShipOne |website=Britannica |access-date=July 11, 2021 |archive-date=April 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430191905/https://www.britannica.com/topic/SpaceShipOne |url-status=live }}</ref>
* In 2005, [[Virgin Galactic]] was founded as a joint venture between Scaled Composites and Richard Branson's Virgin Group.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Weitering |first=Hanneke |title=Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity Space Plane Aces Test Flight, Reaching Mesosphere for the 1st Time|url=https://www.space.com/41295-virgin-galactic-reaches-mesosphere-epic-test.html|access-date=July 20, 2021|website=Space.com|date=July 26, 2018|language=en|archive-date=September 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901235013/https://www.space.com/41295-virgin-galactic-reaches-mesosphere-epic-test.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Eventually Virgin Group owned the entire project.<ref>{{cite web|date=October 5, 2012|title=Virgin Galactic Acquires Full Ownership of The Spaceship Company|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20121005005907/en/Virgin-Galactic-Acquires-Full-Ownership-of-The-Spaceship-Company|access-date=July 20, 2021|website=Business Wire |language=en|archive-date=April 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428221901/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20121005005907/en/Virgin-Galactic-Acquires-Full-Ownership-of-The-Spaceship-Company|url-status=live}}</ref> Virgin Galactic began building [[SpaceShipTwo]]-class spaceplanes. The first of these [[spaceplane]]s, [[VSS Enterprise|VSS ''Enterprise'']], was intended to commence its first commercial flights in 2015, and tickets were on sale at a price of $200,000 (later raised to $250,000). However, the company suffered a considerable setback when [[2014 Virgin Galactic crash|the ''Enterprise'' broke up]] over the [[Mojave Desert]] during a test flight in October 2014. Over 700 tickets had been sold prior to the accident.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Kenneth |last2=Schwartz |first2=John |date=October 31, 2014 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/01/science/virgin-galactics-spaceshiptwo-crashes-during-test-flight.html |url-access=subscription |title=Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Crashes in New Setback for Commercial Spaceflight |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2017 |archive-date=April 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401043744/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/01/science/virgin-galactics-spaceshiptwo-crashes-during-test-flight.html |url-status=live }}</ref> A second spaceplane, [[VSS Unity|VSS ''Unity'']], completed a successful test flight with four passengers on July 11, 2021, to an altitude of nearly 90&nbsp;km (56&nbsp;mi).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Malik |first=Tariq |title=Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Unity 22 launch with Richard Branson. See video and photos of the flight.|url=https://www.space.com/virgin-galactic-richard-branson-unity-22-launch-explained|access-date=July 12, 2021|website=Space.com|date=July 11, 2021|language=en|archive-date=July 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712052103/https://www.space.com/virgin-galactic-richard-branson-unity-22-launch-explained|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Galactic 01]] became the company's first commercial spaceflight on June 29, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sheetz |first=Michael |title=Virgin Galactic completes first commercial flight in major step for space tourism company |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/29/virgin-galactic-first-commercial-spaceflight-live-stream-updates.html |date=June 29, 2023 |website=CNBC |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119105712/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/29/virgin-galactic-first-commercial-spaceflight-live-stream-updates.html |archive-date= January 19, 2024 }}</ref>
* [[Blue Origin]] developed the [[New Shepard]] reusable suborbital launch system specifically to enable short-duration space tourism. Blue Origin plans to ferry a maximum of six persons on a brief journey to space on board the New Shepard. The capsule is attached to the top portion of an 18-meter (59-foot) rocket. The rocket successfully launched with four passengers on July 20, 2021, and reached an altitude of {{Convert|107|km|mi|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Berger|first=Eric|date=July 20, 2021|title=Blue Origin successfully completes its first human launch [Updated]|url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/07/blue-origin-set-for-historic-first-human-flight-of-its-new-shepard-system/|access-date=July 20, 2021|website=Ars Technica|language=en-us|archive-date=July 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720150008/https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/07/blue-origin-set-for-historic-first-human-flight-of-its-new-shepard-system/|url-status=live}}</ref> Blue Origin's 10th human flight lifted off on the morning of February 25, 2025. Six paying passengers, including a Spanish TV host, and several investors, experienced weightlessness during the 10-12-minute flight and can see Earth against the blackness of space.<ref>{{Cite web |last=updated |first=Mike Wall last |date=February 25, 2025 |title=Blue Origin launches 'Perfect 10' space tourists on New Shepard rocket (video) |url=https://www.space.com/space-exploration/private-spaceflight/watch-jeff-bezos-blue-origin-launch-10th-space-tourism-flight-today |access-date=February 25, 2025 |website=Space.com |language=en}}</ref>

=== Canceled projects ===
* [[Armadillo Aerospace]] was developing a two-seat vertical takeoff and landing ([[VTOL]]) rocket called Hyperion, which will be marketed by Space Adventures.<ref>{{cite web |title=The U.S. Commercial Suborbital Industry: A Space Renaissance in the Making |url=http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/111460.pdf |website=Federal Aviation Administration |pages=6–7 |access-date=July 29, 2012 |archive-date=September 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921100648/http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/111460.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Hyperion uses a capsule similar in shape to the Gemini capsule. The vehicle will use a parachute for descent but will probably use [[retrorocket]]s for final touchdown, according to remarks made by Armadillo Aerospace at the Next Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference in February 2012. The assets of Armadillo Aerospace were sold to [[Exos Aerospace]] and while SARGE is continuing to be developed, it is unclear whether Hyperion is still being developed.
* [[XCOR Aerospace]] was developing a suborbital vehicle called [[Lynx (spacecraft)|Lynx]] until development was halted in May 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xcor.com/products/vehicles/lynx_suborbital.html|title=About Lynx|work=XCOR Aerospace|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100430002641/http://www.xcor.com/products/vehicles/lynx_suborbital.html|archive-date=April 30, 2010|access-date=April 30, 2013}}</ref> The Lynx would take off from a runway under rocket power. Unlike SpaceShipOne and SpaceShipTwo, Lynx would not require a mothership. Lynx was designed for rapid turnaround, which would enable it to fly up to four times per day. Because of this rapid flight rate, Lynx had fewer seats than SpaceShipTwo, carrying only one pilot and one spaceflight participant on each flight. XCOR expected to roll out the first Lynx prototype and begin flight tests in 2015, but as of late 2017, XCOR was unable to complete their prototype development and filed for bankruptcy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://spacenews.com/xcor-aerospace-files-for-bankruptcy/|title=XCOR Aerospace files for bankruptcy|last=Foust|first=Jeff|newspaper=[[SpaceNews]]|date=November 9, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20191216022907/https://spacenews.com/xcor%2Daerospace%2Dfiles%2Dfor%2Dbankruptcy/|archive-date=December 16, 2019}}</ref>
** Citizens in Space, formerly the [[Teacher in Space Project]], is a project of the [[United States Rocket Academy]]. Citizens in Space combines [[citizen science]] with citizen space exploration. The goal is to fly citizen-science experiments and citizen explorers (who travel free) who will act as payload operators on suborbital space missions. By 2012, Citizens in Space had acquired a contract for 10 suborbital flights with XCOR Aerospace and expected to acquire additional flights from XCOR and other suborbital spaceflight providers in the future. In 2012, Citizens in Space reported they had begun training three citizen astronaut candidates and would select seven additional candidates over the next 12 to 14 months.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citizensinspace.org/next-frontier/|title=The Next Frontier For Citizen Science|website=Citizens in Space|date=May 5, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313070048/http://www.citizensinspace.org/next-frontier/|archive-date=March 13, 2013}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=October 2021|reason=This date has passed. What happened?}}
** [[Space Expedition Corporation]] was preparing to use the Lynx for "[[Space Expedition Curaçao]]", a commercial flight from [[Hato Airport]] on [[Curaçao]], and planned to start commercial flights in 2014. The costs were $95,000 each.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bild.de/reise/fluege/weltraumtourismus/lynx-ueberschall-flugzeug-weltraumtourismus-new-york-tokio-26888704.bild.html|language=de|title=Fliegen wir die Strecke New York-Tokio bald mit Umweg übers All?|work=Bild|date=October 26, 2012|access-date=November 4, 2012|archive-date=November 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104180620/http://www.bild.de/reise/fluege/weltraumtourismus/lynx-ueberschall-flugzeug-weltraumtourismus-new-york-tokio-26888704.bild.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.xcor.com/press-releases/2012/12-06-07_XCOR_announces_SXC_as_general_sales_agent.html |title=XCOR Aerospace Announces Space Expedition Corporation (SXC) As General Sales Agent For Space Tourism Flights |website=XCOR Aerospace |date=June 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401121629/http://www.xcor.com/press-releases/2012/12-06-07_XCOR_announces_SXC_as_general_sales_agent.html |archive-date=April 1, 2013}}</ref>
** [[Axe Apollo Space Academy]] promotion by [[Unilever]] which planned to provide 23 people suborbital spaceflights on board the Lynx.
* [[EADS Astrium]], a subsidiary of European aerospace giant [[EADS]], announced its [[EADS Astrium Space Tourism Project|space tourism project]] in June 2007.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article1909818.ece|title=Europe joins space tourism race|newspaper=[[The Times]]|date=June 10, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511170315/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article1909818.ece|archive-date=May 11, 2008}}</ref>