The countdown has begun for a major milestone in human spaceflight. On April 1, 2026, the Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch from Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center during a two-hour window starting at 6.24 pm EDT (3.54 am IST on April 2). The mission will send four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, marking the first human trip beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo era.
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Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen will fly aboard the spacecraft. While the mission will not involve a lunar landing, it is designed to test systems needed for future missions aimed at returning humans to the Moon later this decade.
Space tourism gaining momentum
Even as Artemis II represents government-led exploration, commercial space travel is gradually expanding. The "Final Frontier" is increasingly opening up to civilians, though the cost remains steep. In May 2024, Indian entrepreneur Gopi Thotakura became the first Indian space tourist aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard, highlighting how the "democratisation of space" is moving forward.
Several private companies now offer different kinds of experiences, ranging from brief suborbital trips to extended orbital missions.
Suborbital and orbital options
Virgin Galactic offers a 90-minute "edge of space" flight that reaches about 80 km above Earth. Passengers experience a few minutes of weightlessness before gliding back to a runway landing. Seats are priced at $600,000.
Blue Origin's New Shepard provides a vertical launch that crosses the 100 km Kármán line. The capsule offers a "killer view" through large windows before returning via parachute. The estimated price ranges between $250,000 and $300,000.
High-end orbital missions
For longer journeys, SpaceX focuses on orbital travel. These missions include multi-day trips around Earth and private flights toward the Moon's vicinity, considered the "Big Leagues" of space tourism. Prices range from about $55 million for International Space Station visits to around $220 million for private orbital charters.
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Axiom Space also offers missions to the International Space Station, handling training and logistics. These multi-day stays in orbit are priced upwards of $55 million per person.
