# How much would you pay for a (sub) orbital flight?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-pay-for-a-sub-orbital-flight/251529>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [June 21, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-pay-for-a-sub-orbital-flight/251529 "2004-06-21T23:31:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-pay-for-a-sub-orbital-flight/251529/1 "2004-06-21T23:31:32Z")

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Given the success of SpaceShipOne, commercial suborbital flights are closer to becoming reality.

How much would you pay for a similar flight? Say a total ride time of 2-3 hours, max altitude ~100 miles

How much would you pay to orbit the earth? Say ~10 times

How much would you pay for a weekend (take off Friday evening, land Sunday aftenoon) oribatal flight?

For all these, assume you get a good view for the whole flight and you are satisfied with the likely safety of the flight.

My answers, umm, maybe $250, $1000, and $5000 respectively .

Brian

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**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2004, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-pay-for-a-sub-orbital-flight/251529/2 "2004-06-22T04:16:06Z")

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If it was my only hope of getting into space? That’s easy: My left testicle, a kidney, and the limb of your choice.

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**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2004, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-pay-for-a-sub-orbital-flight/251529/3 "2004-06-22T05:15:08Z")

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I’ll wait a few years until it becomes competitive and it turns into just another commercial market. Then it’d be cool (and cheaper).

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**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2004, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-pay-for-a-sub-orbital-flight/251529/4 "2004-06-22T05:25:49Z")

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Well, if the spacecraft in question had to be _towed_ to a high altitude, not nearly as much as if it blasted off in a rocket launch from the earth’s surface.

That multiple-G ride straight up and out would have to be half the fun, no? (Especially if you get to initiate the countdown by saying, “Awright, let’s _light this candle_!”)