Who flies you to space?
Five operators sell civilian spaceflight today — from a few minutes above the Kármán line to two weeks in orbit. Here's who they are, what they fly, their record of crewed and test flights, and where each stands in 2026.
To orbit and the space station
Orbital flights reach roughly 400 km and circle Earth at about 28,000 km/h — multi-day missions costing tens of millions per seat.
The company that reopened orbit to private crews. Its Crew Dragon capsule launches atop a reusable Falcon 9 and can fly free-flying missions or dock with a station.
Flight & test history
The travel organiser of orbit. Axiom charters Crew Dragon to fly private crews to the ISS — handling training and mission management — and is building its own station to fly to next.
Flight & test history
A few minutes above the line
Suborbital flights climb past the edge of space, deliver a few minutes of weightlessness and a curved-Earth view, then fall straight back. The whole trip is over in under an hour.
An air-launched spaceplane experience: a carrier aircraft lifts the ship to altitude, where it drops, ignites its rocket motor, coasts to space, and glides back to a runway.
Flight & test history
A fully autonomous rocket ride. The reusable New Shepard booster launches a capsule straight up past 100 km; the capsule parachutes down while the booster lands itself.
Flight & test history
Not a rocket at all. A giant pressurised balloon lifts a plush capsule gently to around 30 km — not technically space, but high enough for the black sky and curved horizon, over a calm ride with no g-forces.
Flight & test history
Test flights are uncrewed or developmental — they prove the rocket, the escape system, and re-entry before anyone climbs aboard. Crew flights carry people. Every operator here flew years of tests first; that record is the best guide to how proven a ride is.
Operators compared
Approximate figures for civilian flights, 2026. Confirm directly with each operator.
| Operator | Type | Vehicle | Altitude | Approx. price | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SpaceX | Orbital | Crew Dragon | 400–1,400 km | ~$55M+ | Flying |
| Axiom Space | Orbital (ISS) | Crew Dragon | ~420 km | ~$55–70M | Flying |
| Virgin Galactic | Suborbital | Delta spaceplane | ~86 km | $750K | Returning 2026 |
| Blue Origin | Suborbital | New Shepard | 100+ km | Not public | Paused |
| Eos X / Space Perspective | Near-space | Balloon capsule | ~30 km | ~$125K | In development |
See the journey, not just the operators
Browse the gallery, watch official mission footage, or read where each destination stands.
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