On May 17, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CAS Space) announced that their “space tourism vehicle” will make its inaugural flight in 2027, traveling to the edge of space in 2028.
The Chang’e 6 spacecraft was launched into space in early May.
CAS Space stated that the vehicle is designed with a travel cabin featuring four panoramic windows and can accommodate 7 passengers per flight. The company plans to offer 100 hours of flight time originating from a newly constructed aerospace theme park. A total of 10 vehicles will be made available to serve tourists in rotation. The ticket price for each flight is estimated to be between 2 million and 3 million yuan (approximately $415,127 USD per trip).
This announcement comes just days after the American aerospace company Blue Origin revealed that its New Shepard rocket, which carries both cargo and humans on short trips to the edge of space, will resume flights on May 19, ending nearly two years of crewed flight inactivity.
CAS Space, based in Guangzhou, was established in 2018, with the Chinese Academy of Sciences as its second-largest shareholder.
China’s space exploration program has recently narrowed the gap with the United States. It is expected that next month, the Chang’e 6 spacecraft will land on the Moon, making China the first country in the world to collect samples from the surface of the Moon’s dark side and return them to Earth.
