The 11-minute journey to space is expected to cost at least US$250K per passenger
Jeff Bezos’ space venture Blue Origin has this week announced its plans to begin selling tickets for a ride on its “New Shepard” space tourism rocket.
The company had announced the exciting news via a video released on Thursday—which officially marked a countdown clock on the Blue Origin website. The clock is set to countdown to May 5—when the company is expected to reveal more details on the space tourism venture, including how to secure tickets.
“Guys, how exciting is this—come on!” Bezos said in the video, which was aptly titled “It's time.”
While Blue Origin has remained tight lipped about the cost of the tickets, Bezos has mentioned in passing that the cost of a ride on the New Shepard tourism rocket will be comparable with other space tourism companies. The price of a ticket to Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic offering, to give you an idea, is about US$250,000 per passenger.
The prospect of finally booking a ticket to space is in fact very exciting for outer space aficionados—but the New Shepard space tour is just the beginning when it comes to real space travel.
The 11-minute round trip space flight will launch from a 60-foot rocket in the West Texas desert, allowing space travellers to catch a very quick glimpse of space while reaching an altitude of approximately 340,000 feet before heading back to earth.
Despite the quick trip, travellers will still get the chance to linger in zero gravity for several minutes while taking in a full view of space thanks to the capsule’s ample windows and the generous amount of personal space—the New Shepard is designed to carry just six passengers at a time.
While the details surrounding the trip are still to be announced, future space travellers should continue to check the Blue Origin website for more information—including when and how to book, pricing, and more.
See also: Tatler's Guide to Going to Outer Space