Blue Origin’s recent spaceflight, featuring a star-studded all-female crew including Katy Perry, NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and CBS host Gayle King, has captured the public’s attention. The burning question on everyone’s mind, however, is the price of a ticket to space.
During the NS-31 mission on April 14, these six women embarked on an 11-minute journey to space, describing it as a transformative experience. Despite this, Blue Origin has remained tight-lipped about the exact cost of a ticket. Comparatively, Virgin Galactic charges between $200,000 and $450,000 per flight, while Blue Origin’s pricing remains undisclosed to the public. Interested individuals must make a refundable deposit of $150,000 to secure a booking, with the final cost negotiated privately. This means that anyone over 18 can potentially book a space trip through the firm’s reservation page.
In 2021, Blue Origin reportedly sold a seat for $28 million to 18-year-old Oliver Daemen, with notable figures like William Shatner flying as passengers for free. Industry experts suggest that pricing is influenced not just by monetary value, but also by social status and alignment with Blue Origin’s mission.
Roman Chiporukha, co-founder of SpaceVIP, emphasized, “It’s not just about the money; it’s about who you are, your social standing, and your alignment with their goals. It’s a comprehensive package deal.” Since 2021, Blue Origin has conducted 11 crewed flights, with Katy Perry and her crew’s recent mission marking the first all-female trip to space since Valentina Tereshkova’s historic journey in 1963. The flight commenced at 9 a.m. and lasted approximately eight minutes, reaching an altitude of 62 miles above the Karman Line, the recognized boundary of space.
The buzz surrounding this groundbreaking mission has sparked widespread interest and discussion, with many curious about the logistics and costs associated with traveling to space. The allure of space exploration continues to captivate the public imagination, as celebrities and civilians alike embark on these extraordinary journeys beyond Earth’s atmosphere.