How much does it cost to take a trip to outer space?

Khaleej Times

7 hours ago

While billionaires like to launch their own space travel companies (Elon Musk's SpaceX, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic), you don't have to be one to join them. But it helps. The cost of a flight into space varies dramatically depending on what kind of mission you are looking for. 'As a ballpark, you're looking at well over $60 million (Dh220 million) for a private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) or even your own customised orbital stay aboard a private space station,' says Roman Chiporukha, co-founder of SpaceVIP, who works closely with space tourism operators around the world to design customised missions for clients.
At SpaceX, prices typically start from around $55 million (Dh202 million), but clients can pay upwards of $65 million (Dh238 million) depending on mission specifics. RocketBreaks, the world's first dedicated space travel agency, works closely with partners such as Axiom Space and SpaceX, providing access to orbital missions aboard Crew Dragon spacecraft. These missions range from free-flying orbital flights to stays aboard the ISS, lasting between eight and 14 days.
RocketBreaks handles everything from training and launch preparation to accommodation, private jet charters, and even welcome-home parties. Barry Shanks, director at RocketBreaks, says: 'We also offer access to suborbital missions with Blue Origin (New Shepard), offering a brief but unforgettable taste of space, including several minutes of weightlessness and views from the Kármán line.' These typically cost between $250,000 and $500,000 (Dh 918,122 and Dh1.8 million) per person.
The Kármán line is regarded as the 'Space Standard' benchmark for truly being in space and is 100km above sea level. Above 120km is typically needed for a sustained low Earth orbit while anything below this (around 80km to 120km) is considered 'suborbital'. To put it in context, a commercial plane travels at heights of 10-13km above sea level.
Blue Origin's New Shepard reusable rocket carried six passengers, including pop star Katy Perry and an all-female crew, to the edge of space in April 2025. Although Blue Origin doesn't advertise fixed ticket prices, deposits of $150,000 (Dh550,873) are required to begin booking. The full price can go up to $4 million (Dh14 million), depending on the flight package and additional luxury touches.
The major space travel companies are not always upfront about costs. This is often because pricing is variable, and some companies prefer to vet clients before discussing pricing. 'The truth is, many of these missions aren't just about adventure. Whether it's understanding human biology in zero-G, developing tech for future planetary missions, or even learning how to grow food off-world, there's value here beyond the experience itself,' says Shanks.
Edge of space
Virgin Galactic is more transparent about its pricing, with seats on its suborbital flights costing around $600,000 (Dh2.2 million) for both civilians and researchers. Suborbital flights don't achieve the necessary speed to complete an orbit, resulting in relatively short trips that last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo (VSS Unity) takes passengers to the edge of space for a few minutes of weightlessness before returning via glider to Spaceport America, New Mexico. The company plans to reopen ticket sales at the start of 2026, but anticipates price increases above the previous $600,000 per seat.
One of the more forward-thinking players in the industry, Radian Aerospace, is introducing the Radian One spaceplane. It offers a horizontal takeoff and landing for a low-G orbital mission that makes space travel less intense physically. For $10 million-$15million (Dh36 million-Dh55 million), passengers will orbit Earth five times during a seven-and-a-half-hour journey and be back in time for dinner, which is a big step towards making orbital experiences more elegant and attainable.
Cheaper options
Space travel experts predict flights will become cheaper as reusable rockets become more refined and launch frequency increases. 'Like any emerging industry, space tourism will eventually benefit from economies of scale. Space tourism will follow a curve similar to that of commercial aviation in its early days,' explains Chiporukha. 'At first, it's prohibitively expensive and exclusive, but as more companies enter the space and infrastructure improves, prices will come down.'
Analysts predict suborbital flights, currently priced at $200,000–$600,000 (Dh734,498-Dh2.2 million), could drop to $50,000–$100,000 (Dh183,624-Dh367,249) by the early 2030s as flight frequency increases and economies of scale kick in. A spokesperson for Mighty Travels Premium says: 'Orbital missions, now costing $50 million (Dh183 million) per seat, may also see reductions as companies like Axiom Space and Sierra Space expand operations. While exact timelines are uncertain, significant price drops are expected within the next five–10 years, especially for suborbital trips, making them accessible to a broader affluent market.'
Musk has stated that Starship could potentially fly for as little as $2 million (Dh7.3 million) per seat, but this is a long-term goal for a fully reusable system, not the current cost of Crew Dragon flights. Starship has a strong focus on reusability, which is critical for making these missions financially feasible. Regular space travel will likely start with suborbital joyrides before expanding to orbital and lunar trips, driven by demand and technological advancements.
Philipp Schaer is the CEO at MiGFlug, which specialises in fighter jet flights and previously took passengers on high-altitude/stratosphere trips to an altitude of up to 25.5km. 'We are rather pessimistic with the tourist space flights such as Virgin Galactic or Blue Origin, unless they come as a side-kick from a commercial operation to launch satellites, do research, etc. If the main thing is bringing tourists into space, we don't think this will ever be profitable, given the huge development costs,' he says. MiGFlug has seen growing interest from clients in the UAE. 'We have had an eye on Dubai for a while now, and we hope to find the right partner there soon.'
Travel on a budget
There are cheaper options for those who want an out-of-this-world experience on a budget. Rather than rockets, Space Perspective uses a luxury hydrogen balloon to lift passengers in a pressurised gondola to about 32km altitude. The full six‑hour experience costs $125,000 (Dh459,061), including a two‑hour float at the edge of space. Over 1,800 seats have been reserved so far. In late 2025, Danish Michelin-starred chef Rasmus Munk will team up with Space Perspective to take fine-dining into the upper atmosphere.
Space Perspective is hoping to have a launch site in Dubai, which will give travellers the chance to see the Burj Khalifa from the edge of space. 'Being able to launch over Palm Island and go up and see the burst wave underneath and see all these recognisable landmarks, this is one of the most beautiful areas we could launch from,' said CEO Michael Savage. Chiporukha, who is a partner in this project, added: 'We now have an office at Dubai Media City and have been consulting with telcos who are expanding to satellites.'
While there is no typical client, RocketBreaks' Shanks sheds some light on its space-travel-loving customers. 'We've worked with tech investors, entrepreneurs, adventure-seekers, and families celebrating major milestones. That said, our orbital enquiries tend to come from middle-aged business owners or UHNWIs who have already ticked off many once-in-a-lifetime experiences and are now looking up — literally.'