Space Tourism: The Latest News, Features and Photos

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Latest about space tourism

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
Photo of a Blue Origin New Shepard rocket launching the NS-20 space tourist mission in March 2022.

Blue Origin space tourist launches: Live mission updates

By Elizabeth Howell last updated

Blue Origin's next space tourist mission hasn't yet been announced yet. Here are live updates of what we know.

Human Spaceflight
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
a white rocket launches into a blue sky, as seen from the ground

Blue Origin's next space tourism flight will launch on Aug. 29

By Mike Wall published

Blue Origin is targeting Thursday (Aug. 29) for the launch of its eighth suborbital crewed mission, a flight called NS-26.

Private Spaceflight
a black and white spacex rocket test-fires its first-stage engines on the launch pad beneath a dark-blue late-evening or early-morning sky

SpaceX fires up Falcon 9 rocket ahead of Polaris Dawn astronaut launch (photos)

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX test-fired the first stage of Polaris Dawn's Falcon 9 rocket over the weekend, keeping the historic astronaut mission on track for an Aug. 27 launch.

Missions
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