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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A Spectacular Super Pink Moon Is Coming This Month — How to See It

A Spectacular Super Pink Moon Is Coming This Month — How to See It

This month's full moon is a supermoon — and it'll illuminate the sky on April 26.
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SpaceX Is Adding a Glass Dome on Its Crew Dragon Capsule for Stunning 360-degree Views of Space

SpaceX Is Adding a Glass Dome on Its Crew Dragon Capsule for Stunning 360-degree Views of Space

SpaceX's Crew Dragon will soon offer the best views in space tourism.
The Lyrid Meteor Shower Will Bring Dazzling Shooting Stars This Month

The Lyrid Meteor Shower Will Bring Dazzling Shooting Stars This Month

Astronomers have been watching this show for thousands of years.
Virgin Galactic Debuts New Spaceship Designed for Space Tourism

Virgin Galactic Debuts New Spaceship Designed for Space Tourism

The spaceplane is designed to take tourists to the stars.
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It's written in the stars.
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More Space Travel + Astronomy

This California Hotel’s Stargazing Package Comes With a Post-meteor Shower Sauna and the State’s Darkest Skies

This California Hotel’s Stargazing Package Comes With a Post-meteor Shower Sauna and the State’s Darkest Skies

Look up with wonder.
A Rocket Just Disintegrated Over the Pacific Northwest — See the Amazing Videos

A Rocket Just Disintegrated Over the Pacific Northwest — See the Amazing Videos

Onlookers witnessed a dazzling — and somewhat alarming — display in the night sky.
A Super Worm Moon Will Light Up the Sky This Weekend — How to See It

A Super Worm Moon Will Light Up the Sky This Weekend — How to See It

A Tiny Piece of the Wright Brothers’ First Plane Will Soon Fly Around Mars

A Tiny Piece of the Wright Brothers’ First Plane Will Soon Fly Around Mars

Scientists Discover a Black Hole-powered Space Object From 13 Billion Light-years Away

Scientists Discover a Black Hole-powered Space Object From 13 Billion Light-years Away

The World's First Space Hotel Will Open in 2027 — and You Can Even Buy a Vacation Home There

The World's First Space Hotel Will Open in 2027 — and You Can Even Buy a Vacation Home There

Win a Free Trip to the Moon on SpaceX's New Starship

Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa is giving away eight seats on his DearMoon spaceflight.

All Space Travel and Astronomy

What It's Really Like to Sleep in Space, According to a Former Astronaut Who Spent 520 Nights Doing It

What It's Really Like to Sleep in Space, According to a Former Astronaut Who Spent 520 Nights Doing It

Scientists Have Potentially Discovered a New Life-supporting Planet

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NASA Wants Your Help Feeding Astronauts — and You Could Win $25k in the Process

NASA Wants Your Help Feeding Astronauts — and You Could Win $25k in the Process

3 Spacecrafts Are Set to Reach Mars This Month — Here's How to Watch Them Live

3 Spacecrafts Are Set to Reach Mars This Month — Here's How to Watch Them Live

One of the Famous Mathematicians That Inspired ‘Hidden Figures’ Is Being Honored With a Spacecraft in Her Name

One of the Famous Mathematicians That Inspired ‘Hidden Figures’ Is Being Honored With a Spacecraft in Her Name

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A Massive Asteroid Is About to Whiz Past Earth — Here’s How to See It

Here’s Your Chance to Fly to Space for Free

Here’s Your Chance to Fly to Space for Free

Meet the People Who Paid $55 Million Each to Fly to the International Space Station

Meet the People Who Paid $55 Million Each to Fly to the International Space Station

Canon’s New Website Will Let You Take Pictures of Earth From Space

Canon’s New Website Will Let You Take Pictures of Earth From Space

How to See the 2021 Total Solar Eclipse in Antarctica

How to See the 2021 Total Solar Eclipse in Antarctica

Scientists Have Discovered an Ancient ‘Super-Earth’ in Our Galaxy

Scientists Have Discovered an Ancient ‘Super-Earth’ in Our Galaxy

Scientists Have Been Aging Wine in Space — and 12 Bottles Are Back on Earth and Ready to Drink

Scientists Have Been Aging Wine in Space — and 12 Bottles Are Back on Earth and Ready to Drink

NASA Releases Stunning New Photos of Mars’ ‘Grand Canyon’

NASA Releases Stunning New Photos of Mars’ ‘Grand Canyon’

NASA Shares Its 20 Favorite Images of Earth Taken by Astronauts Last Year

NASA Shares Its 20 Favorite Images of Earth Taken by Astronauts Last Year

Hear What Parts of Space Actually Sound Like, According to NASA

Hear What Parts of Space Actually Sound Like, According to NASA

2021 Is Going to Be a Big Year in Space — Here’s What to Watch for This Year

2021 Is Going to Be a Big Year in Space — Here’s What to Watch for This Year

2021 Astronomical Calendar: Full Moons, Meteor Showers, and Eclipses to Watch for This Year

2021 Astronomical Calendar: Full Moons, Meteor Showers, and Eclipses to Watch for This Year

Mysterious Radio Signal From a Nearby Star Leads Scientists to Investigate Alien Life

Mysterious Radio Signal From a Nearby Star Leads Scientists to Investigate Alien Life

The ‘Full Cold Moon’ Is the Final Full Moon of 2020 — Here's How to See It

The ‘Full Cold Moon’ Is the Final Full Moon of 2020 — Here's How to See It

NASA Just Shared Never-before-seen Space Images in Honor of Hubble's 30th Anniversary

NASA Just Shared Never-before-seen Space Images in Honor of Hubble's 30th Anniversary

Jupiter and Saturn Will Be the Closest They've Been in 800 Years — How to See the 'Christmas Star' This December

Jupiter and Saturn Will Be the Closest They've Been in 800 Years — How to See the 'Christmas Star' This December

The Northern Lights Could Make a Rare Appearance Over Parts of the U.S. This Week

The Northern Lights Could Make a Rare Appearance Over Parts of the U.S. This Week

SpaceX Is Testing a New Rocket in Texas That Could Eventually Take Humans to Mars — and You Can Watch It Online

SpaceX Is Testing a New Rocket in Texas That Could Eventually Take Humans to Mars — and You Can Watch It Online

A Japanese Space Mission Has Brought a Piece of Asteroid Down to Earth

A Japanese Space Mission Has Brought a Piece of Asteroid Down to Earth

Virgin Galactic Unveils Its Crew Uniforms Days Ahead of New Space Flight

Virgin Galactic Unveils Its Crew Uniforms Days Ahead of New Space Flight

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