Tickets for the 12-minute suborbital journey, priced at US$210,000 each, became available on Thursday during a live-stream on e-commerce giant Taobao, with more ticket releases planned for next month.
The Jiangsu-based company’s space tourism venture will offer passengers an estimated five minutes of weightlessness before they return to Earth, making this a groundbreaking first for China’s private space sector.
Set to launch in 2027, the journey will utilize suborbital rocket technology—reaching the edge of space without orbiting the Earth. The company’s chairman, Huo Liang, noted that reusable rocket advancements could soon make such high-priced tickets more affordable.
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Deep Blue Aerospace said it will conduct numerous tests over the next two years to secure safety and reliability standards for commercial operations.
Deep Blue Aerospace’s ticket price is notably lower than international options like Virgin Galactic, which charges US$600,000 per seat. Industry observers suggest that China’s growing space sector may help lower costs globally, bringing space travel closer to mass-market accessibility.
Deep Blue Aerospace’s entry into space tourism comes as global competitors like Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, and Elon Musk’s SpaceX are pioneering the industry.
Virgin Galactic recently completed its first commercial flight and plans to focus on developing high-frequency Delta-class vehicles for future flights, while Deep Blue Aerospace is set to bolster China’s presence in the expanding space tourism market.
