You Can Now Secure a Ticket to Space

It’s a small leap for Virgin Galactic . . . and a monumental financial commitment for humanity. As of February 16, space travel is back on the market: Virgin Galactic has reopened online registration for its inaugural commercial flights beyond Earth’s atmosphere—90-minute journeys for four passengers that herald the dawn of citizen space tourism.

A limited number of spots are available for these groundbreaking trips, set to commence in late 2022, and only a select few adventurous travelers will be able to afford the $450,000 ticket. Reservations started as early as 2014, when celebrities—think Brad Pitt and Lady Gaga—booked their seats in space for $250,000 each. After successful test flights last summer with Virgin Group founder and billionaire Sir Richard Branson onboard, Virgin Galactic resumed bookings in August with a “deliberate range of product options,” according to CEO Michael Colglazier in a statement.

“For our private astronaut flights, we will offer options like a single seat, couples seating, a family and friends package, and even a full-flight buyout,” he explained. “Pricing for this next phase of private astronaut sales will start at $450,000 per seat. Microgravity research and professional astronaut training flights will remain at $600,000 on a per-seat basis.”

Since there isn’t yet a Kayak for space travel, the journey begins at virgingalactic.com. Click on “I want to make a spaceflight reservation now”—a thrilling yet daunting first step—so that Virgin Galactic can process your application and place you on the waiting list. (Note: I didn’t go as far as to apply, since I’m not keen on being financially committed for half a million, but I did fill out the form to gather information about any future flights. Why not?!)

By reserving a spot, you also become a Future Astronaut, similar to Virgin Galactic’s loyalty program for like-minded "pioneers" who have registered. The company anticipates that over 700 Future Astronauts will eventually take flight, while gaining access to Virgin Galactic training, technology, and tours. Those curious about space can choose to remain on Earth and learn about events, experiences, STEM programs, scholarships, and, of course, merchandise, while engaging with both amateur and professional scientists about the latest space news. Thus, a community is formed.

Following the first fully crewed spaceflights in July 2021—Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity with Branson on July 11, and competitor Blue Origin’s New Shepard with founder Jeff Bezos aboard just nine days later—a private space race officially commenced. However, the quest for innovation and exploration comes with challenges; we still have limited information regarding the environmental impact of space tourism.

What we do know is a bit about the experience. Keep track on virgingalactic.com and you will discover the following:

Aboard a winged spacecraft connected to a mothership, Virgin Galactic astronauts will ascend to 50,000 feet—approximately 20,000 feet higher than the average commercial flight—at which point the pilots will announce “3, 2, 1, release” and detach from the mothership. (There’s a metaphor about motherhood hidden in that moment.) Rockets ignite, propelling the spaceship into suborbit at speeds reaching up to 2,600 miles per hour, or roughly three and a half times the speed of sound.

After a one-minute rocket burn, the engines will shut off, allowing passengers to finally experience what they’ve anticipated: pure, enchanting weightlessness in microgravity, along with stunning views of Earth through 17 windows. For a hospitality company like Virgin Group—Branson’s empire of airlines, hotels, cruises, and now, spaceships—it represents the ultimate #roomwithaview. However, this journey is far more than just a beautiful sight. “You can simply stop. And look. And take it all in,” shares Beth Moses, a Virgin Galactic astronaut and chief astronaut instructor, in a testimonial. “You really feel a connection to your home planet . . . on a profound, spiritual level that lingers with you.”

Despite how transformative that experience sounds, if you’re hesitant to commit this week (or prefer not to sell all your worldly belongings for a ticket), don’t fret: Blue Origin is accepting reservations for 2022, 2023–2024, and “2025 and beyond.”