<strong>Two decades on: </strong>It's been 20 years since Dennis Tito, the world's first space tourist, pictured here flying into the ISS, went to space. Only a handful of people have followed in Tito's footsteps, but companies like SpaceX and Virgin Galactic reckon space tourism is the future.
Two decades on: It's been 20 years since Dennis Tito, the world's first space tourist, pictured here flying into the ISS, went to space. Only a handful of people have followed in Tito's footsteps, but companies like SpaceX and Virgin Galactic reckon space tourism is the future.
Oleg Nikishin/RTV/Newsmakers/Getty Images
<strong>Amazing experience:</strong> Tito tells CNN Travel his trip was "the best experience of my whole life, those eight days." Here he is pictured in May 2001, just after arriving back on earth.
Amazing experience: Tito tells CNN Travel his trip was "the best experience of my whole life, those eight days." Here he is pictured in May 2001, just after arriving back on earth.
ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images
<strong>Boeing Starliner: </strong>One of the future space tourism ventures is Boeing's Starliner spacecraft -- seen here after landing in White Sands, New Mexico in December 2019 following a test flight. Once Starliner starts flying to the ISS, deep-pocketed travelers will be able to book a ticket on board via space travel agency Space Adventures, who also organized Tito's trip.
Boeing Starliner: One of the future space tourism ventures is Boeing's Starliner spacecraft -- seen here after landing in White Sands, New Mexico in December 2019 following a test flight. Once Starliner starts flying to the ISS, deep-pocketed travelers will be able to book a ticket on board via space travel agency Space Adventures, who also organized Tito's trip.
Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images
<strong>Crew Dragon: </strong>US company SpaceX is planning orbital trips to space later in 2021, via its Crew Dragon aircraft. Crew Dragon is pictured here in May 2020 not long before becoming the first commercial spaceship to send NASA astronauts to space.
Crew Dragon: US company SpaceX is planning orbital trips to space later in 2021, via its Crew Dragon aircraft. Crew Dragon is pictured here in May 2020 not long before becoming the first commercial spaceship to send NASA astronauts to space.
SpaceX via Getty Images
<strong>Heading to the moon:</strong> Meanwhile Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa hopes to fly to the moon as a private citizen in 2023 via SpaceX's Starship, along with a group of artists. Elon Musk also intends Starship to carry humans to Mars one day.
Heading to the moon: Meanwhile Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa hopes to fly to the moon as a private citizen in 2023 via SpaceX's Starship, along with a group of artists. Elon Musk also intends Starship to carry humans to Mars one day.
TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images
<strong>Future ambitions: </strong>This is a rendering for Voyager Station, a space hotel that could be a reality later in the decade.
Future ambitions: This is a rendering for Voyager Station, a space hotel that could be a reality later in the decade.
Orbital Assembly Corporation
<strong>'Golden age':</strong> The hotel is being designed by Orbital Assembly Corporation. "We're trying to make the public realize that this golden age of space travel is just around the corner. It's coming. It's coming fast," says CEO John Blincow.
'Golden age': The hotel is being designed by Orbital Assembly Corporation. "We're trying to make the public realize that this golden age of space travel is just around the corner. It's coming. It's coming fast," says CEO John Blincow.
Orbital Assembly Corporation