Bargaining Area

Chinese space startup Deep Blue Aerospace I recently switched to social media Announcing ticket sales for a 12-minute journey to the edge of space that could happen as soon as 2027.

There was high demand for tickets as the company sold two tickets for US$210,000 per piece in a 20-minute livestream on the Taobao e-commerce platform. The company plans to sell more tickets next month.

While this may seem like a huge amount of money, it is a very small fraction of the amount. $600,000 The cost of a similar flight on Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo spaceplane. And soaring to the edge of space on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket It is said to be more than twice as expensive per seat.

But Deep Blue Aerospace still has a lot to prove. The company has so far begun testing the vertical takeoff and landing of its liquid oxygen-kerosene “Nebula-1” rocket. Last month the company’s rocket experienced an abnormalityA huge fireball formed on the launch pad.

However, the company makes a claim. expression Early next year, its rocket will reach an altitude of at least 62 miles and return in one piece; It’s a big goal that could pave the way for China’s nascent commercial space industry.

Risky Business

Deep Blue Aerospace admitted in its press release that it has a “deep understanding of the complexities and risks.” Translated by South China Morning PostSending human travelers to the edge of space, promising to complete dozens of experiments over the next two years.

The company’s crew module bears a striking resemblance to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. recently shared concept artCan seat up to six passengers and has six windows. The company claims that the device can be reused up to 50 times.

However, it is not yet known when the rocket will take off from the ground, reach the edge of space, and whether it will return.

However, some other Chinese companies also want to offer similar trips, including CAS Space, which plans to sell tickets. Anywhere from $281,000 to $421,000.

More on China’s space ambitions: Watch Astronauts Give a Rare Tour of China’s Luxurious Space Station