Cost of private space flights
At this point in time space travel is out of the reach of mnost people. After 2009, that will no longer be the case as private companies begin offering "affordable" flights into space. Here is a summary of the cost of buying a ticket into space,
as of April 2008.
Space Adventures offers a "bells and whistles" experience to parallel that of NASA astronauts - a flight to the International Space Station with time on the station and the option of a spacewalk. But this is going to cost about $US20 million so for some time it will remain an option only for the very rich.
Virgin Galactic is gearing up to be the world's first "space airline" with semi-affordable flights into space at a cost of about $US200,000. there have already been about 85,000 inquiries so expect a big standby list.
Xcor is offering suborbital flights for $US100,000. Flights are scheduled to begin in 2010. For most people this is the most viable way ofgetting into space.
Astrium says it will be offering flights into space via a "space jet" that can take off and land on conventional runways, from about 2012. The flights are expected to cost $US288,000.