Space Tourism: What You Need to Know

Space tourism is no longer sci-fi. Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and soon SpaceX will take civilians to space. But at $250,000�$55 million per seat, it's for the ultra-rich only � for now.

The experience: 3�6 minutes of weightlessness, seeing Earth's curvature, then a bumpy reentry. Safety is improving but not yet commercial-aviation level (one fatal crash in 2014).

In the next decade, prices may drop to $50,000 for suborbital hops. Orbital stays (like Axiom Space) start at $55 million for 10 days.

If you can't afford it yet, no worries. A high-altitude balloon ride (Space Perspective) offers similar views for $125k. Or just enjoy breathtaking NASA footage for free.