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The Form and Functions of Two “Tourism” Spacecrafts

The Virgin Galactic space plane launching from midair.

The Virgin Galactic space plane launching from midair.

First, it should be noted that although Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin have definitely established a milestone in the history of space tourism, they are not the first private space tourists. The first private person who was not professionally trained for missions but flew to space as a "tourist" is Dennis Tito, an American entrepreneur who stayed at the International Space Station for seven days in 2001.

The International Space Station (ISS) in 2001.

  • Unity separates from the mothership and fires its own rocket engine to soar.

  • Unity with its wings folded at a high altitude. This is a “selfie” taken from its wing-tip camera.

  • The space travelers of Virgin Galactic in weightlessness, watching the Earth through windows. The person at the very front is Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group.

  • The first space shuttle Columbia is landing.

  • Virgin Galactic's Unity is being tested for gliding and landing on the runway.

  • The New Shepard rocket is landing after separating the capsule.

  • The passengers are enjoying weightlessness.

  • The New Shepard rocket is landing after separating the capsule.

  • The passengers are enjoying weightlessness.

  • Blue Origin's first manned spaceship launch on July 20.

  • The Apollo 14 command module exhibited at Kennedy Space Center (top), the Crew Dragon of the SpaceX’s manned spacecraft (middle), and the New Shepard capsule in landing testing with dummies (bottom).

  • Unity with its wings folded at a high altitude. This is a “selfie” taken from its wing-tip camera.

  • The space travelers of Virgin Galactic in weightlessness, watching the Earth through windows. The person at the very front is Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group.

  • Unity separates from the mothership and fires its own rocket engine to soar.

  • Unity with its wings folded at a high altitude. This is a “selfie” taken from its wing-tip camera.

  • The space travelers of Virgin Galactic in weightlessness, watching the Earth through windows. The person at the very front is Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group.

  • The first space shuttle Columbia is landing.

  • Virgin Galactic's Unity is being tested for gliding and landing on the runway.

  • Blue Origin's first manned spaceship launch on July 20.

  • Unity separates from the mothership and fires its own rocket engine to soar.

  • Unity with its wings folded at a high altitude. This is a “selfie” taken from its wing-tip camera.

  • The space travelers of Virgin Galactic in weightlessness, watching the Earth through windows. The person at the very front is Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group.

  • The first space shuttle Columbia is landing.

  • Virgin Galactic's Unity is being tested for gliding and landing on the runway.

  • The New Shepard rocket is landing after separating the capsule.

  • The passengers are enjoying weightlessness.

  • The New Shepard rocket is landing after separating the capsule.

  • The passengers are enjoying weightlessness.

  • Blue Origin's first manned spaceship launch on July 20.

  • The Apollo 14 command module exhibited at Kennedy Space Center (top), the Crew Dragon of the SpaceX’s manned spacecraft (middle), and the New Shepard capsule in landing testing with dummies (bottom).

  • Unity with its wings folded at a high altitude. This is a “selfie” taken from its wing-tip camera.

  • The space travelers of Virgin Galactic in weightlessness, watching the Earth through windows. The person at the very front is Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group.

  • The Apollo 14 command module exhibited at Kennedy Space Center (top), the Crew Dragon of the SpaceX’s manned spacecraft (middle), and the New Shepard capsule in landing testing with dummies (bottom).

  • Unity with its wings folded at a high altitude. This is a “selfie” taken from its wing-tip camera.

  • The space travelers of Virgin Galactic in weightlessness, watching the Earth through windows. The person at the very front is Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group.

  • The Apollo 14 command module exhibited at Kennedy Space Center (top), the Crew Dragon of the SpaceX’s manned spacecraft (middle), and the New Shepard capsule in landing testing with dummies (bottom).

  • Unity with its wings folded at a high altitude. This is a “selfie” taken from its wing-tip camera.

  • The space travelers of Virgin Galactic in weightlessness, watching the Earth through windows. The person at the very front is Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group.

  • The Apollo 14 command module exhibited at Kennedy Space Center (top), the Crew Dragon of the SpaceX’s manned spacecraft (middle), and the New Shepard capsule in landing testing with dummies (bottom).

  • Unity with its wings folded at a high altitude. This is a “selfie” taken from its wing-tip camera.

  • The space travelers of Virgin Galactic in weightlessness, watching the Earth through windows. The person at the very front is Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group.

  • Written by

    Joonha Ahn

  • Photo from

    Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, SpaceX, NASA, Getty Images, Shutterstock

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