Space Travel and Astronomy

Space exploration has captured the world’s interest ever since the famous Space Race between the Soviet Union and the U.S. during the Cold War, which culminated in the U.S. landing the first humans on the moon in 1969. In fact, it was only mere decades ago that the idea of space tourism—not just for astronauts and scientific research but for leisure and recreation—was the stuff of science fiction: Star Wars, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Today, space travel for the common man is no longer a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when,’ thanks to the ingenuity and imagination of self-funded business magnates with an eye on the sky.The space tourism raceA few major players have emerged in the race towards the first commercial flights to space. Prototypes from Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic space line are readying to take its first passengers on a suborbital space flight to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere. Meanwhile, SpaceX, an aerospace manufacturer founded by Tesla Motors CEO and investor Elon Musk, has begun launching rockets into orbit, with the ambitious end goal of enabling human colonization on Mars.Of course, the price of airfare to space is still well beyond most anyone’s means—a single seat on Virgin Galactic will put you out of $250,000. Luckily, the rest of us can still gaze upon the worlds beyond ours from our backyards. Stargazing remains a beloved nightly pastime, where views of phenomena like the northern lights and lunar eclipses can be seen for free with just the naked eye.Space is the tourism industry’s next frontier, and Travel + Leisure remains on the pulse of every technological achievement and development made towards it becoming a reality. From the gear passengers will wear to the logistics of getting on a flight, check back here for the latest news and updates.

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The Best Places to Go Stargazing Around the World

The Best Places to Go Stargazing Around the World

Dark skies and bright stars are the main attraction at the top stargazing spots around the world.
The Orionid Meteor Shower Will Light Up the Sky With Shooting Stars This October — Here's How to See It

The Orionid Meteor Shower Will Light Up the Sky With Shooting Stars This October — Here's How to See It

It’s one of the best astronomical shows of the year.
NASA Is Launching a $23 Million Dollar Toilet to Space This Week

NASA Is Launching a $23 Million Dollar Toilet to Space This Week

The new toilet will ship off to space on Sept. 29.
The Northern Lights May Be Visible Over Parts of the US Tonight — Here's How to Spot Them

The Northern Lights May Be Visible Over Parts of the U.S. Tonight — Here's How to Spot Them

If you live in one of these states, you might be able to spot the northern lights from your backyard tonight.
NASA Plans to Land the First Woman on the Moon in 2024

NASA Plans to Land the First Woman on the Moon in 2024

The Artemis program will get her there in 2024.
This New Reality Show Wants to Send You to Space for 10 Days

This New Reality Show Wants to Send You to Space for 10 Days

Ever dreamed of visiting the International Space Station? This show might just be your golden ticket.

More Space Travel + Astronomy

A New Hiking Trail in Russia Will Take You Where Cosmonauts Crash-landed After the First Space Walk

A New Hiking Trail in Russia Will Take You Where Cosmonauts Crash-landed After the First Space Walk

See the remains of Voskhod-2 on this new trail being built by volunteers in Russia.
This Is What Future Space Hotels Might Look Like, According to Hotels.com

This Is What Future Space Hotels Might Look Like, According to Hotels.com

Is this the future of space tourism?
Scientists Find Possible Signs of Life on Venus, New Discovery Shows

Scientists Find Possible Signs of Life on Venus, New Discovery Shows

10 Darkest Places in the U.S. for Incredible Stargazing

10 Darkest Places in the U.S. for Incredible Stargazing

A Collision in Space Caused a Black Hole 142 Times Bigger Than the Sun

A Collision in Space Caused a Black Hole 142 Times Bigger Than the Sun

See the Solar Eclipse From a Helicopter and Shooting Stars From a Hot Tub on the Same Day

See the Solar Eclipse From a Helicopter and Shooting Stars From a Hot Tub on the Same Day

How to See the Celestial Events, Rocket Launches, and More Happening in September

Here's everything you can see in the skies in September, including the Corn Moon, a SpaceX rocket launch, and more.

All Space Travel and Astronomy

A Rare Blue Moon Will Light Up the Sky on Halloween This Year

A Rare Blue Moon Will Light Up the Sky on Halloween This Year

SpaceX Successfully Launches Starship Prototype That Could Enable Hypersonic Travel to the Moon and Mars

SpaceX Successfully Launches Starship Prototype That Could Enable Hypersonic Travel to the Moon and Mars

You Don’t Have to Go to Mars to See the Perseverance Rover — Kennedy Space Center Has an Exact Replica

You Don’t Have to Go to Mars to See the Perseverance Rover — Kennedy Space Center Has an Exact Replica

NASA Astronaut Bob Behnken Describes Historic Landing in SpaceX Spacecraft: ‘It Felt Like We Were Inside of an Animal’

NASA Astronaut Bob Behnken Describes Historic Landing in SpaceX Spacecraft: ‘It Felt Like We Were Inside of an Animal’

Virgin Galactic Teams Up With Rolls-Royce to Build a Supersonic Plane — Get a Sneak Peek

Virgin Galactic Teams Up With Rolls-Royce to Build a Supersonic Plane — Get a Sneak Peek

Stunning Nebula Thousands of Lightyears Away Looks Like a Psychedelic Space Butterfly

Stunning Nebula Thousands of Lightyears Away Looks Like a Psychedelic Space Butterfly

NASA Astronauts Splash Down Near Florida in SpaceX Crew Dragon, Completing Historic Mission

NASA Astronauts Splash Down Near Florida in SpaceX Crew Dragon, Completing Historic Mission

13 Things Space Tourists Should Know Before Traveling to Space, According to Astronauts

13 Things Space Tourists Should Know Before Traveling to Space, According to Astronauts

NASA's Perseverance Rover Successfully Takes Off on New Mission to Mars

NASA's Perseverance Rover Successfully Takes Off on New Mission to Mars

Watch NASA Astronauts Return to Earth in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon This Weekend

Watch NASA Astronauts Return to Earth in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon This Weekend

10th Grade Girls Discover Asteroid Nearing Earth While Participating in a Space India and NASA School Project

10th Grade Girls Discover Asteroid Nearing Earth While Participating in a Space India and NASA School Project

Virgin Galactic Reveals Incredible Design for Its Spaceship — See Inside

Virgin Galactic Reveals Incredible Design for Its Spaceship — See Inside

Two Meteor Showers Will Peak This Week — Here's How to Spot a Shooting Star

Two Meteor Showers Will Peak This Week — Here's How to Spot a Shooting Star

A Piece of Mars that Ended Up on Earth Will Return to Its Home Planet Thanks to NASA Rover

A Piece of Mars that Ended Up on Earth Will Return to Its Home Planet Thanks to NASA Rover

All the Meteor Showers, Astronaut Launches, and Celestial Events Happening This August

All the Meteor Showers, Astronaut Launches, and Celestial Events Happening This August

A Once-in-a-lifetime Comet Was the Backdrop for These Couples' Engagements

A Once-in-a-lifetime Comet Was the Backdrop for These Couples' Engagements

An Astronaut Aboard the International Space Station Just Shared an Epic Video of Comet Neowise

An Astronaut Aboard the International Space Station Just Shared an Epic Video of Comet Neowise

Spacecraft Launched by NASA, ESA Sends Back the Closest-ever Images of the Sun

Spacecraft Launched by NASA, ESA Sends Back the Closest-ever Images of the Sun

Five Planets Will Be Visible in the Sky This Week — Here's How to See Them

Five Planets Will Be Visible in the Sky This Week — Here's How to See Them

This New Company Wants to Send You to the Edge of Space in a High-tech Balloon

This New Company Wants to Send You to the Edge of Space in a High-tech Balloon

A Surprise Comet Is Coming to Put on a Spectacular Sky Show — and It Won't Be Visible Again for Over 6,000 Years

A Surprise Comet Is Coming to Put on a Spectacular Sky Show — and It Won't Be Visible Again for Over 6,000 Years

This Timelapse Video Shows How Our Sun Has Changed Over 10 Years

This Timelapse Video Shows How Our Sun Has Changed Over 10 Years

Astronaut Shares Amazing Selfie During Space Walk

Astronaut Shares Amazing Selfie During Space Walk

How and When to See the ‘Thunder Moon Eclipse’ on July Fourth

How and When to See the ‘Thunder Moon Eclipse’ on July Fourth

NASA Wants You To Build a Toilet for the Moon in the ‘Lunar Loo Challenge’

NASA Wants You To Build a Toilet for the Moon in the ‘Lunar Loo Challenge’

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