Two billionaires soared into suborbital space in separate trips this month, ushering in a new era of space exploration for private citizens. Richard Branson reached the edge of space first, on July 11, in a rocket operated by Virgin Galactic. Jeff Bezos’ suborbital flight followed nine days later in a shuttle operated by his business, Blue Origin. If test flights continue to go smoothly, commercial trips to space—for those with the financial means to book a seat—are on the horizon.
To read the commentary, see “Wall Street to Mission Control: Can space tourism pay off?”, May 12, 2021.