Space Tourism: Selling the Human Experience of Orbit

Jessica Kurz
Jun 24
4 min read

Updated: Jun 27

For decades, space has been the realm of trained astronauts, billion-dollar budgets, and global superpowers. But today, something extraordinary is happening: space is opening its doors — not just to scientists and engineers, but to storytellers, artists, entrepreneurs, and everyday citizens.

This is the age of space tourism — where the idea of seeing Earth from above is no longer reserved for elite astronauts, but is slowly becoming a once-in-a-lifetime experience for anyone who dares to dream big enough.

It’s not just a new form of travel. It’s a new human ritual — a deeply emotional experience that changes how people see the world, and how they see themselves. And for brands, space tourism is more than a product to sponsor. It’s a profound narrative waiting to be told.

🚀 What Is Space Tourism — and Where Are We Now?

Space tourism refers to commercial spaceflight for leisure, inspiration, or personal growth. It spans multiple tiers of experience — from brief suborbital hops to extended orbital missions, and eventually lunar excursions and deep-space flybys.

What once sounded futuristic is now unfolding in real time:

🌐 Blue Origin – New Shepard

Blue Origin’s fully autonomous suborbital capsule takes passengers just beyond the Kármán line — the boundary of space. It’s a 10-minute ride with panoramic windows and a view of Earth most people will never see. Aboard? Celebrities, artists, scientists, and auction winners.

🌐 Virgin Galactic

An air-launched spacecraft glides into suborbit, offering a smoother ride and luxurious cabin design. Virgin brands the journey as a blend of high-end travel and spiritual awakening.

🌐 SpaceX – Crew Dragon & Starship

With orbital missions like Inspiration4, SpaceX made headlines by launching the first all-civilian crew around the Earth. Their upcoming dearMoon project aims to send artists and creators on a lunar flyby — perhaps the first space mission defined by storytelling, not science.

🌐 Axiom Space

Partnering with NASA, Axiom has launched private astronauts to the ISS and is building the first commercial space station. Think of it as a floating boutique hotel and research platform, orbiting Earth in low gravity.

This is only the beginning. Within the next decade, space tourism will evolve into a multi-tiered industry — spanning exploration, luxury, wellness, art, and legacy.

🌌 Why People Go: The Emotional Case for Leaving Earth

Ask anyone who’s been to space, and they’ll tell you: it changes you.

The defining moment is often the Overview Effect — a psychological shift that happens when seeing Earth from orbit. The planet seems fragile. Borders disappear. Problems feel small. The sense of unity, beauty, and responsibility deepens.

People aren’t going to space to escape life. They’re going to understand it.

Some want adventure. Others want legacy. Many are searching for perspective, healing, or transformation. Some are going for their children. Others for their art, their audience, or their message. Space tourism, at its best, is not about speed or altitude — it’s about meaning.

It is a bucket-list item, yes — but also a form of pilgrimage, one that can become a catalyst for environmentalism, activism, or creative rebirth.

💰 The Emerging Market: Pricing, Access & Growth

Today, space travel remains exclusive — but that’s changing. Here's how the market is shaping up:

Suborbital flights currently cost $250,000–$450,000
Orbital missions still range from $20M–$55M
Analysts forecast a $3B–$5B annual market by 2032
Suborbital tickets under $100,000 are expected by 2030
Dozens of Earth-based “pre-space” experiences (zero-G flights, VR simulators, analog training) are growing fast

Private citizens are no longer just paying for a seat. They’re funding scientific experiments, supporting charitable causes, and livestreaming their journeys to global audiences. Space is becoming an experience economy — one that blends entertainment, wellness, tech, and philanthropy.

🎨 Branding in the Age of Orbital Experience

Space tourism is a dream product. It’s exclusive, emotional, visual, and viral. For brands, it’s a perfect storm of opportunity — a chance to be associated with transcendence, aspiration, and future culture.

Here’s where smart brands are already activating:

✅ Luxury & Lifestyle

Branded spacewear and travel kits
In-orbit design collaborations (think: Prada space suits)
Ultra-premium services for high-net-worth travelers

✅ Wellness & Meaning

Mental health and mindfulness tools for space tourists
Personal growth programs pre- and post-flight
Emotional coaching, journaling, and transformation narratives

✅ Media, Art, and Storytelling

Space as a film set, livestream location, and XR backdrop
Music albums, documentaries, and immersive art pieces made in space
First influencer missions funded by followers, not governments

✅ Impact and Purpose

Flights that raise money for humanitarian or environmental causes
Missions that include citizen scientists, educators, and changemakers
Brands using space to launch conversations about Earth

🧭 Mapping the Space Tourist’s Journey

To market space tourism well, you must market the transformation — not just the ticket.

The customer journey is emotional and expansive:

Inspiration — the moment they say “I want to go”
Preparation — training, anticipation, community building
The Journey — live storytelling, emotional peak
Return — reflection, storytelling, advocacy
Legacy — the mission becomes part of who they are

This arc creates dozens of brand touchpoints: immersive gear, virtual mentors, personalized journals, post-flight documentaries, alumni events — all tied to the myth-making process that turns travelers into space ambassadors.

🧠 Advice for the Space Marketer

You’re not selling altitude — you’re unlocking identity.

The most powerful part of space tourism isn’t the flight. It’s the story that flight tells — about courage, change, and cosmic connection.

So:

Focus on transformation — what does space awaken in your customer?
Build community — turn tourists into mentors and advocates
Make the mission bigger than the traveler — align it with Earth, art, or impact
Create emotional continuity — connect the pre-launch dream to the post-flight legacy

Because in the end, space tourism isn’t just about escape. It’s about coming home to a bigger vision of who we are — and the brands that tell that story will inspire Earth for decades to come.