SpaceX has opened reservations for tourist flights into space

SpaceX has opened bookings for space trips of varying lengths and complexity.

Flight options

SpaceX offers flights to orbit, the International Space Station, the Moon and Mars.

The flight into Earth orbit takes three to six days and is designed for a group of two to four space tourists. The flight will take place at an altitude of 300 to 500 km. The first launches are planned for the end of 2024.

The mission to the ISS will last up to ten days. The flight will take place at an altitude of about 400 km and can accommodate up to four people on board. Reservations are open for 2025.

The flight to the Moon will take up to seven days. The spacecraft will rise to an altitude of 384,400 km from Earth, and up to 12 people will be able to participate in the mission. Information about the details of tours to Mars has not yet been provided.

Spaceships

All missions will be carried out on Dragon and Starship ships.

The Dragon spacecraft has the ability to transport up to seven passengers to and from low-Earth orbit, not to mention flights beyond it. It is currently the only ship capable of returning large payloads to Earth, and the first private ship to carry people to the space station.

On the other hand, Starship is a fully reusable spacecraft, which is the second stage of the Starship system. It is capable of transporting both passengers and cargo not only to Earth orbit, but also to planetary destinations, as well as between terrestrial destinations.

Spacesuit for space tourists

The cost of the flight will include a custom-tailored spacesuit and a 3D-printed helmet, which contains microphones for communication and valves that regulate pressure in the systems.

The outer layer of the spacesuit is made of fire-resistant materials. The gray parts represent different versions of Nomex, and the white material is Teflon fabric.

A single point of connection between the suit and the vehicle provides the astronauts' life support system: avionics for communications, cooling systems and pressurization in the suit.

Estimated cost of flights

As for the cost of flights, tourists who have already traveled to the International Space Station with the help of SpaceX paid approximately $55 million. This amount included costs for the seat, training and space suit.