Space Tourism: The Latest News, Features and Photos

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Latest about space tourism

Illustration of a Polaris Dawn crewmember conducting the first-ever private spacewalk.

SpaceX launching private Polaris Dawn astronaut mission Sept. 10: How to watch live online

By Samantha Mathewson last updated

SpaceX is targeting Sept. 10 for the launch of its Polaris Dawn mission, which will feature the first-ever private spacewalk. Here's how you can watch the historic action live.

Private Spaceflight
a white rocket standing upright on a launch pad at night

SpaceX to launch private Polaris Dawn spacewalk mission overnight on farthest human spaceflight since Apollo

By Josh Dinner last updated

SpaceX's private Polaris Dawn mission is poised to launch a crew of private astronauts farther from Earth than any human has flown since Apollo 17.

Private Spaceflight
a woman in a blue flight suit raises her arms in triumph after exiting a white space capsule in the desert

New record: Blue Origin launches youngest woman beyond Kármán line

By Mike Wall published

Blue Origin set a new record with today's space tourism launch, sending the youngest woman beyond the 62-mile-high (100 kilometers) Kármán line.

Human Spaceflight
The four astronauts of SpaceX's Polaris Dawn private mission pose in black and white spacesuits inside their Dragon capsule.

Private astronauts of Polaris Dawn mission patiently await SpaceX launch amid multiple delays

By Josh Dinner published

Weather conditions at the mission's landing zones have postponed the Polaris Dawn launch, and also the FAA grounded the Falcon 9, so the crew might be waiting a minute.

Launches & Spacecraft
a woman in a blue flight suit pumps her hand in the air while standing in the doorway of a white cone-shaped capsule

'One of the cleanest flights I've seen.' Blue Origin launches 6 people to space, lands safely on NS-26 flight (video)

By Mike Wall last updated

Blue Origin launched its eighth suborbital space tourism mission this morning (Aug. 29), sending six people to space and back.

Launches & Spacecraft
A rocket flies into space.

Space tourism: What are the pros and cons?

By Paul Sutter published

Space tourism is controversial, and there are a multitude of reasons why.

Missions
A white Blue Origin suborbital rocket stands on its launch pad at dusk in West Texas.

What time is Blue Origin's private NS-26 astronaut launch on Aug. 29 (and how to watch live)

By Elizabeth Howell published

A Blue Origin rocket will launch a new private astronaut mission to suborbital space this week. Here's what time and where to watch.

Launches & Spacecraft
SpaceX's black and white Polaris Dawn Falcon 9 rocket stands on the launch pad in stunning twilight.

SpaceX delays Polaris Dawn astronaut launch until at least Aug. 30 due to bad weather

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX scrubbed the planned Aug. 28 launch of the Polaris Dawn astronaut mission due to bad weather. The mission now won't fly until Friday (Aug. 30) at the earliest.

Missions
a black and white rocket topped by a white space capsule stand on a launch pad under a darkening evening sky

SpaceX delays Polaris Dawn astronaut launch to Aug. 28 due to helium leak

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX has pushed the launch of the historic Polaris Dawn astronaut mission back 24 hours, to Wednesday morning (Aug. 28), due to a helium leak.

Missions
four astronauts in spacesuits with arms crossed and visors up

SpaceX Polaris Dawn astronauts will conduct high-flying research in Earth orbit

By Elizabeth Howell published

Polaris Dawn has lots of science on board. The SpaceX mission will fly high in Earth orbit to investigate how the human body changes under the extreme conditions of space.

Human Spaceflight
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives