Got a few million burning a hole in your back pocket? Why not hitch a ride with SpaceX for orbital hols in 2021-ish?

SpaceX has pledged to carry four passengers into Earth orbit aboard its Crew Dragon capsule – its first crewed mission for private space tourism – as early as 2021.

The mission is part of the deal with Space Adventures, a commercial spaceflight company based in Virginia. The tourism business, which has already delivered seven space tourists to the International Space Station, with team up with Elon's Musketeers to send the well-heeled wanderers out into orbit, and then return then safely back to Earth.

“Space Adventures, Inc. has entered into an agreement with SpaceX to fly private citizens on the first Crew Dragon free-flyer mission,” it announced on Tuesday.

“This will provide up to four individuals with the opportunity to break the world altitude record for private citizen spaceflight and see planet Earth the way no one has since the Gemini program.”

Launched in the 1960s, Project Gemini was NASA’s second human spaceflight program and sent pairs of astronauts – thus the name of the program – up into space to prepare for the Apollo Moon landing flights.

“This historic mission will forge a path to making spaceflight possible for all people who dream of it, and we are pleased to work with the Space Adventures’ team on the mission,” said Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX’s president and COO.

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Measuring just over eight meters in height and four meters across, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule can house up to seven passengers at a pinch. The mission with Space Adventures will only take up to four rich lucky normies, plus - presumably - a pilot or two to help out on the flight.

“The price of the mission will not be disclosed, but will be in the range as other orbital spaceflight opportunities,” a spokesperson for Space Adventures told The Register.

Judging by its previous clients, who have all been wealthy tech entrepreneurs, you’ll have to have deep pockets to afford a ride on the Crew Dragon - trips to the ISS cost at least $20m. The crew will spend up to five days in space without visiting the International Space Station, we’re told.

It won’t be SpaceX’s first ever crewed flight, however. In January, SpaceX launched test flights for its Crew Dragon capsule and is expected to send NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to space in May, once NASA signs off on the hardware. ®

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