Chinese startup sets 2028 target for crewed suborbital space tourism flights

• What happened: A Chinese private startup announced plans to launch crewed suborbital space tourism flights by 2028, pricing seats at 3 million yuan each.

• Why it matters now: The move signals China’s entry into commercial human space tourism, a field currently dominated by US companies.

• What changes for people: Ultra-wealthy customers could soon access brief weightless space experiences from China, expanding global options beyond the US.

• Who is affected: High-net-worth individuals, China’s private space sector, regulators, and global space tourism competitors.

A Chinese startup is aiming to put paying passengers on suborbital spaceflights within the next two years, marking a significant step in China’s commercial space ambitions.

InterstellOr, founded in 2023, says it plans to begin crewed suborbital tourism missions by 2028, offering passengers a short journey to the edge of space for 3 million yuan (around $430,000) per seat, according to state broadcaster CGTN.

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What the spaceflight experience will look like

The company’s CYZ-1 suborbital spacecraft is designed to carry up to seven passengers on each flight.

According to InterstellOr:

• The spacecraft will reach the Kármán line at about 100 km altitude

• Passengers will experience 3 to 6 minutes of weightlessness

• The total mission will be a brief suborbital hop, not an orbital flight

Underline: The trip focuses on microgravity and Earth views, not extended time in space.

Around 20 people have already signed up, InterstellOr said, including an actor, an engineer, a poet, and a business executive.

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Public reaction and price debate in China

The announcement quickly went viral on Chinese social media, topping search trends on Baidu.

Online reactions have been mixed:

• Some users welcomed China’s arrival in commercial space tourism

• Others questioned safety, pricing, and the ambitious timeline

A popular Chinese tech blogger noted that 3 million yuan is affordable for the wealthy but hoped prices would eventually fall dramatically if reusable rockets become widespread.

Underline: Affordability remains the biggest barrier to mass participation.

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Experts warn safety will be the key test

Spaceflight experts have cautioned that strict safety verification will determine whether private suborbital tourism can move forward.

Yang Yuguang, chairman of the Space Transportation Committee of the International Astronautical Federation, told CGTN that while suborbital flights are less technically demanding than orbital missions, they still require rigorous validation.

Key challenges include:

• Multiple uncrewed test flights

• Proven landing and recovery systems

• Regulatory approval based on safety data

Yang explained that suborbital craft need speeds of about 1 km per second, compared to 7.8 km per second for orbital travel, but stressed that safety margins must be extremely high before passengers are allowed.

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How InterstellOr is preparing

InterstellOr says it has already:

• Completed initial financing

• Passed a 2024 feasibility review

• Conducted its first landing protection test in early 2026

The company has not yet announced a confirmed launch site or detailed testing schedule.

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How this compares globally

The United States currently leads suborbital space tourism.

• Virgin Galactic operates SpaceShipTwo, with ticket prices around $600,000

• Blue Origin’s New Shepard has flown multiple crewed missions since 2021, including a high-profile all-female crew in 2025

• Blue Origin’s first seat famously sold for $28 million, though later flights are believed to be far cheaper

InterstellOr’s pricing undercuts Virgin Galactic, positioning China as a potentially competitive alternative in the premium space tourism market.

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The long-term outlook

Experts believe prices could eventually fall as:

• Reusable launch systems improve

• Flight frequency increases

• Technology matures over the next decade

Yang suggested ticket prices could drop to one-tenth of today’s levels in the long term.