Deep Blue Aerospace, a Chinese rocket firm founded in 2016, has announced the sale of 20 tickets for a suborbital trip priced at 2 million yuan (approximately US$280,000) each, available through the popular e-commerce platform Taobao [b53be441]. The planned trip, set for 2027, will last around 12 minutes and reach a maximum altitude of 150 kilometers, providing passengers with a zero-gravity experience for at least five minutes [b53be441].
To secure a ticket, buyers must pay a deposit of 100,000 yuan and sign a contract in Beijing, with safety training recommended for passengers aged 18 to 60 [b53be441]. The Nebula-1 rocket, which can carry six people, is currently in development, and the company plans to conduct multiple test flights in 2025 to ensure safety before the commercial launch [b53be441].
This initiative comes as Virgin Galactic is also expanding its space tourism offerings, targeting the Asian market with flights priced at approximately US$600,000 [3f5d6744]. Virgin Galactic has appointed Hong Kong-based Intriq Journey as its agent in Asia, aiming to restart flights in 2026 using its new Delta Class ships [3f5d6744]. Currently, around 800 individuals are on the waiting list for Virgin Galactic's flights, which are expected to last about three hours and reach an altitude of 290,000 feet [3f5d6744].
The commercial space tourism sector is rapidly evolving, with significant investor interest and a projected global space economy reaching $1.8 trillion by 2035 [d4fb0615]. As both Virgin Galactic and Deep Blue Aerospace make strides in this industry, the competition is heating up, highlighting the growing demand for unique travel experiences beyond Earth [d4fb0615].
With the collaboration between private companies and government agencies like NASA, the future of space tourism looks promising, as advancements in technology continue to pave the way for more accessible and safer space travel [5804be9b] [c5b52e81] [83bd3081].