Move over Virgin Galactic, there’s a new player in town.
According to a report by New Scientist, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology in Beijing is entering the space tourism business.
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The academy made the announcement at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, last week. The winged plane, it was revealed, could one day carry upwards of 20 passengers.
There are already a few private companies vying to enter the new space tourism industry, including Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and XCOR.
Unlike Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo that needs to be launched from the air, the Chinese rocket would take off vertically on its own power.
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There are two designs for the spacecraft: a smaller one that could take six passengers that would reach a speed of up to Mach 6, allowing passengers to feel two minutes of weightlessness.
The second, larger spacecraft would carry 20 passengers, reach Mach 8 and give four minutes of weightlessness. It would also be able to deliver small satellites into orbit, which could help fund the venture and lower ticket prices for tourists.
Still, even with a subsidy of sorts, space tourists can expect to fork out anywhere between $200,000 to $250,000.
It’s anticipated that the test flights will be completed within two years.
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