Jiangsu-based tech startup Deep Blue Aerospace has unveiled plans to send its first passengers on a 12-minute suborbital space journey in 2027, promising at least five minutes of weightlessness before returning to Earth. Tickets for this pioneering trip sold out within 20 minutes during a live-streamed event on e-commerce giant Taobao, sparking significant excitement among China’s emerging space tourism community. The company plans to release additional tickets next month to meet the high demand.

Unlike full orbital flights, this suborbital experience will reach outer space without completing an orbit, allowing travelers to experience weightlessness while keeping the journey relatively short. Deep Blue Aerospace has acknowledged the “complexity and risks” associated with rocket technology and aims to conduct dozens of tests over the next two years to ensure safety and reliability before its commercial launch in 2027.

During the live stream, Deep Blue Aerospace Chairman Huo Liang suggested that ticket prices might soon become more affordable as reusable, orbit-capable rocket technology continues to advance. Currently, tickets start at $210,000, making Deep Blue’s offering substantially less expensive than international competitors. Virgin Galactic, for example, charges $600,000 per seat, more than double Deep Blue Aerospace’s rate.

Chinese social media users speculate that domestic companies like Deep Blue Aerospace could further reduce the costs associated with space tourism, potentially opening space travel to a broader audience. The company believes that reusable rockets will be key to making space tourism more economically accessible.

Space tourism has gained traction worldwide, with companies like Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and SpaceX taking strides in recent years to make space travel more accessible. Deep Blue Aerospace’s entry into the market underscores China’s growing interest in this sector, aiming to provide competitive and safer options while leveraging advancements in reusable rocket technology.

By Impact Lab