China to begin ‘space tourism’ flights from 2028

According to a recent report by official media, CAS Space, a commercial space company in China, plans to launch its “space tourism vehicle” in 2027, aiming to reach the edge of space by 2028. This announcement follows Blue Origin’s declaration that it would resume crewed missions with its New Shepard rocket after a nearly two-year hiatus, starting Sunday, to conduct short-duration space missions with both cargo and passengers.

CAS Space has revealed that their vehicle will feature a tourist cabin with a capacity for seven passengers and four panoramic windows. The company intends to have ten spacecraft ready to transport visitors to space every 100 hours, launching from a newly built aerospace theme park. Ticket prices are expected to range between 2 million and 3 million yuan ($415,127) per person.

CAS Space, established in 2018 and based in Guangzhou, has the Chinese Academy of Sciences as its second-largest shareholder. China’s space exploration efforts have made…