Space tourism is one of those technologies that are special info hyped but never come to fruition. After all, it’s been over 20 years since Dennis Tito became the first space tourist and his trip cost him a whopping $20 million.

However, spaceflight companies are slowly making it more affordable. Boeing is working on an aircraft that will be used to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station, and it will also be able to carry passengers from private homes. The agreement between Boeing and NASA is meant to increase the frequency of trips however they’re expensive: the flights will cost upwards of tens of thousands of dollars each.

SpaceX, meanwhile, is trying to make it less expensive. SpaceX’s Interplanetary Transport System could allow humans to travel from London to San Francisco within an hour. It will eventually allow them to travel further, with the aim of creating an interplanetary colony.

As an astronaut, you’ll be able to experience space in an entirely new way. It’s an enormous commitment. You have to undergo a two-year programme of training and your chances of being selected are low. You can still take part in the virtual simulation. You can go to virtual space exhibits to get a real impression of what it’s like to travel through space.