Most space tourism companies say you need to be at least 18 to fly, though a few might let younger folks go if their parents sign off. The FAA sets 18 as the legal minimum for liability, but companies like Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and SpaceX have their own takes on things.
The FAA sets the bar at 18 for commercial spaceflight passengers. This rule comes from laws about contract signing and liability—adults have to acknowledge the risks and sign waivers before they can go.
Space tourists need to accept the dangers of commercial space travel before they board. Minors can’t legally make these decisions or sign binding contracts on their own.
Key legal requirements include:
Insurance companies back up these age restrictions for coverage. Most policies won’t cover anyone who can’t legally accept liability.
The FAA keeps working on new commercial spaceflight rules as the industry grows. Right now, they’re more focused on passenger safety than enforcing strict age limits for all providers.
Virgin Galactic sticks to an 18-year minimum for its suborbital flights on SpaceShipTwo. They don’t set a max age, but every passenger gets an individual medical review.
Blue Origin also asks for 18 and up for New Shepard flights. They’ve flown people from 18-year-old Oliver Daemen to folks in their 80s, as long as they pass health checks.
SpaceX uses the same 18-year minimum for Dragon missions. Their orbital flights need more medical tests and a lot more training than the quick suborbital trips.
Company age policies:
| Company | Minimum Age | Maximum Age | Special Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Galactic | 18 years | No limit | Medical clearance |
| Blue Origin | 18 years | No limit | Fitness assessment |
| SpaceX | 18 years | No limit | Extended training |
Each company can deny passengers based on their health assessments, no matter how old they are.
A few space tourism companies might let minors fly if their parents provide extensive consent and extra paperwork. These cases are rare and need a mountain of documentation.
Minors need special equipment and constant supervision while in space. Companies set up extra safety briefings and tweak training for younger travelers.
Parents have to sign more detailed liability waivers for their kids. These forms explain the risks—G-forces, radiation, emergencies, you name it.
Zero-G Corporation is probably the easiest way for kids to get a taste of space. Their parabolic flights accept kids as young as 8, with parental consent and a clean bill of health.
As tech improves and safety records get stronger, the industry might open up more opportunities for younger space tourists. But for now, age requirements remain pretty firm.
Most big space tourism companies don’t set hard upper age limits. Instead, they look at your health and what you can physically handle. The oldest space tourist was 90, so clearly age isn’t everything.
Space travel companies ramp up medical checks for folks over 60. They focus on your heart, since launches put you through forces three to four times normal gravity.
Doctors check your heart rhythm and how well your blood circulates. You need to keep your blood pressure steady under stress that mimics spaceflight.
Bone density gets a close look too. Companies want to make sure you don’t have osteoporosis or fracture risks that microgravity could make worse.
Key medical factors evaluated include:
You’ll also get checked for how quickly you can follow emergency steps. Vision and hearing tests matter—passengers have to hear and respond to instructions in a crunch.
Most companies want you to get medical clearance within six months of your flight. That way, they know your health hasn’t changed much before launch.
Fitness standards change depending on the kind of trip you’re taking. Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin want you to show basic mobility and heart health for suborbital flights.
Blue Origin asks you to climb seven flights of stairs in 90 seconds. It’s a simple way to check if your heart can handle launch and landing.
SpaceX asks for even more for their longer, orbital trips. Older travelers go through months of physical training, pretty close to what astronauts do.
Balance and coordination tests help spot motion sickness risks. Some companies even offer parabolic flights so seniors can try weightlessness before the real deal.
Physical requirements typically include:
Training usually takes longer for older folks. Companies give extra prep time to help seniors get ready safely.
Virgin Galactic has flown people in their 70s and 80s. They don’t have an official upper age limit—just a thorough medical review for each person.
Blue Origin showed their flexibility by flying 82-year-old Wally Funk with 18-year-old Oliver Daemen. Health matters more than age for these suborbital trips.
SpaceX focuses on deep medical screening, not age caps, for Dragon missions. Their long training programs do tend to favor younger, fitter candidates.
The European Space Agency caps professional astronauts at 50, but that doesn’t apply to commercial tourists. Space tourism companies set their own rules, mostly based on safety.
Company-specific policies vary:
Insurance also plays a role here. Companies work with insurers to balance access with liability for older travelers.
Space tourism companies ask for pretty thorough health and fitness checks to keep people safe during launch, microgravity, and reentry. Medical teams focus on your heart, bones, and mental readiness. Fitness standards are there to help you handle G-forces and adapt to weightlessness.
Fitness requirements depend on the kind of flight you’re taking—suborbital or orbital. For suborbital, you need to show basic mobility and a healthy heart to handle a quick burst of G-forces.
Most companies ask you to climb seven flights of stairs in 90 seconds. It’s a quick way to check your endurance and leg strength, especially for emergencies.
Key fitness benchmarks include:
If you’re aiming for orbital flights, expect more rigorous tests, similar to astronaut training. Longer missions mean you’ll need better conditioning to fight muscle loss and bone thinning.
Training centers often use centrifuges to mimic launch forces. Passengers practice emergencies while dealing with these stresses.
Aerospace doctors run detailed medical checks within six months of your flight. They start with health questionnaires—covering surgeries, meds, and any chronic issues.
Your heart gets a lot of attention because of launch stresses. Doctors run EKGs, monitor blood pressure, and check circulation to spot any problems.
Bone density scans look for osteoporosis risks, since microgravity can mess with bone healing. Even a short time weightless can impact your bones.
Neurological exams test reflexes, coordination, and how you handle stress. Vision and hearing checks make sure you can follow instructions if something goes wrong.
Blood tests look for diabetes, thyroid problems, and other conditions that space might make worse. Doctors also check your meds for anything that could react badly in microgravity.
Many companies use Johnson Space Center’s medical protocols as a baseline. These standards help keep things consistent across the industry.
Some medical issues will keep you grounded, no matter what. Unstable heart disease is a no-go, since launch G-forces are tough on the cardiovascular system.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure is a problem too. Space messes with how fluids move in your body, so operators set strict blood pressure limits.
If you’ve had recent surgery or a bone fracture, you’ll need to heal completely before you can fly. Microgravity slows down tissue repair.
Primary disqualifying conditions:
Balance issues from inner ear disorders often get worse in microgravity. People with vestibular problems can have severe motion sickness.
Diabetics need extra evaluation. Managing insulin in space is tricky, since storage and injections are harder in microgravity.
Getting ready for microgravity means both physical and mental training. Zero-gravity flights help you see how your body reacts to weightlessness.
Parabolic flights give you 25-30 seconds of weightlessness at a time. You can practice moving and run through emergency drills in these short bursts.
Special exercise gear keeps your muscles and heart in shape on longer missions. Astronauts on the ISS use resistance bands, treadmills, and bikes to fight the effects of weightlessness.
Fluid shift training helps you deal with blood and fluids moving around in your body, which can cause puffy faces and sinus congestion.
Balance exercises help reduce vertigo and motion sickness in microgravity. The inner ear needs time to adjust.
Psychological prep matters too. Breathing techniques and mental strategies help you handle the weird sensations of weightlessness. A lot of people say their first time in microgravity is overwhelming but unforgettable.
Suborbital flights hit space at 50-70 miles up, moving about 2,200 mph. Orbital flights go way faster—17,500 mph—to circle the Earth. These differences mean the requirements and restrictions for each experience aren’t quite the same.
Suborbital flights are honestly the most accessible entry point into commercial space travel. Companies like Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin have shaped these experiences for a wider crowd, with less intimidating requirements than you might expect.
Passengers just need to meet basic health standards, kind of like what airlines ask for. The physical demands stay pretty mild—flights only last 10-15 minutes. Most providers want participants to be between 18 and 75, though they’ll sometimes bend the rules for unique cases.
Virgin Galactic asks passengers to do a three-day training program at Spaceport America. This training covers how the spacecraft works, what to do in emergencies, and how to handle weightlessness. Medical clearance means a heart check and some basic fitness tests.
Blue Origin keeps things simpler with a one-day training session. Their New Shepard capsule relies on automated systems, so passengers don’t need to prep as much. They mostly want to know you can handle the short bursts of acceleration during launch and landing.
Both companies have height and weight restrictions because of seat sizes and safety harnesses. If you don’t fit the dimensions, you can’t fly—no way around it.
Orbital flights crank up the requirements, thanks to longer trips and complex missions. SpaceX and Axiom Space set the bar high, almost like what professional astronauts face.
Participants go through comprehensive medical evaluations, including heart stress tests, psychological checks, and a bunch of health screenings. The age window usually runs from 18 to 60, but they’ll consider exceptions if you pass extra medical hurdles.
SpaceX Crew Dragon missions to the ISS demand months of training. Passengers learn spacecraft systems, emergency responses, and even some basic science experiments. You need to be fit enough to operate the spacecraft manually and handle emergencies.
Axiom Space takes things even further. Their 15-week training covers spacewalks, ISS systems, and research protocols. Participants have to show they can handle multiple systems and emergency scenarios.
Orbital passengers deal with strict medical rules. Certain meds, recent surgeries, or health conditions can disqualify you. The longer exposure to microgravity and radiation means health gets monitored closely during multi-day missions.
Price is a real barrier too. Orbital flights cost from $55 to $250 million, while suborbital trips run $250,000 to $450,000.
Space tourism has blown past age boundaries. People from their teens to their 80s have shown that a love for space doesn’t care how old you are. Oliver Daemen became the youngest at 18, while Wally Funk set the oldest record at 82—both with Blue Origin.
Oliver Daemen holds the record for youngest commercial space traveler. He flew with Blue Origin’s New Shepard at 18 in July 2021.
He got his seat when another passenger dropped out, and his dad bought the ticket at auction. Not your typical lottery win, but still.
Daemen’s flight really showed that young adults can handle suborbital travel just fine. He felt the same 4G forces and weightlessness as everyone else and had no issues.
Virgin Galactic has also flown folks in their early twenties. These younger tourists usually breeze through training and flight.
Most companies stick to 18 as the minimum, mostly for legal reasons. You’ve got to sign waivers and understand the risks.
Wally Funk finally got to space at 82, flying with Blue Origin in 2021. She’d dreamed of it since training as a pilot in the ‘60s, but NASA never sent her up.
Her flight proved that age isn’t a dealbreaker if you’re healthy.
Then William Shatner topped her record just months later. At 90, the actor became the oldest person ever in space, also with Blue Origin.
These flights convinced space tourism companies that older passengers can handle suborbital trips. Both Funk and Shatner passed the same medical checks as their younger crewmates.
Now companies focus more on health than age. If you’re fit and pass the medical, your birth year doesn’t matter as much.
When celebrities go to space, it changes how people see space travel. Suddenly, it feels a little more possible for the rest of us.
Shatner’s reaction to seeing Earth—his tears and awe—went viral. It reminded everyone of the deep impact that spaceflight can have, no matter your age.
Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic have gotten a ton of publicity from these flights. They inspire younger generations to dream about space careers.
Age diversity among famous space tourists sends a clear message: you don’t have to be a young, elite astronaut anymore.
When both an 18-year-old and a 90-year-old can fly safely, it really shows commercial spaceflight can work for all sorts of people.
Space agencies like NASA and ESA use different age requirements than commercial space tourism companies. Professional astronauts go through stricter selection criteria and much longer training.
NASA doesn’t set a hard age limit for astronaut candidates, but some realities shape who gets picked. Astronauts usually range from 26 to 46 years old, with 34 as the average.
The selection process factors in that astronauts might wait 5 to 17 years for their first mission. Naturally, younger candidates have an edge for long-term programs.
Key NASA selection factors:
The European Space Agency is stricter, capping new astronaut selection at age 50. ESA says the job is just too physically and mentally demanding past that point.
NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston manages astronaut selection and training. They sift through thousands of applications for just a few spots each cycle.
Astronauts prepping for International Space Station missions train at facilities all over the world. This can take years before they’re ready for flight.
Professional astronauts spend years on intensive preparation for ISS operations, spacewalks, and emergencies.
Space tourists do condensed training—a few days or weeks. SpaceX, for instance, shows civilian passengers the basics for their specific mission.
Training duration:
Astronauts must master spacecraft systems, robotics, and science tasks. Space tourists just need to know enough to stay safe and enjoy the ride.
NASA requires astronauts to keep up with annual medical exams to stay flight-ready.
Space tourists go through one-time medical screenings, mainly to make sure they’ll survive launch and brief weightlessness. The bar is way lower for tourists.
Age rules in commercial space travel create some pretty tangled legal frameworks for contracts and insurance coverage. Companies have to juggle federal rules and protect themselves from liability claims from passengers of all ages.
Space travel companies hand out a lot of paperwork before you can board. The FAA says all space tourists must be at least 18 to sign legal liability waivers.
These waivers shield companies from lawsuits if something goes wrong during launch, flight, or landing. Passengers have to admit they know it’s risky—even deadly.
Minors can’t legally sign these contracts. Some companies let kids as young as 12 fly with parental consent, but parents have to sign extra waivers. These cases need more legal protection for the companies.
Consent forms cover medical emergencies, equipment failures, and other mishaps. Passengers give up the right to sue for damages from their spaceflight.
Companies also have medical consent forms. These let flight doctors make emergency decisions if a passenger can’t.
Insurance companies treat space tourists differently by age. Most policies favor people between 25 and 60, seeing them as less risky.
Under 25? You’ll pay more, since insurers worry about how younger bodies might react to spaceflight. Things like bone density and heart health come up.
Over 60? Higher premiums again. Insurers want extra medical checks and sometimes won’t cover pre-existing conditions.
Space travel companies buy separate liability insurance for age-related incidents. These policies cover medical emergencies during flight.
Specialized aerospace insurers handle these risks—regular travel insurance just doesn’t cut it.
Some insurance providers won’t cover anyone over 70 or under 18. That’s another legal headache for companies serving those groups.
Space tourism companies tweak their training for different age groups. Younger folks often get extra safety supervision, while older travelers might need more time to learn spacecraft procedures.
Companies put enhanced safety protocols in place for passengers aged 18-25. These younger travelers do extra emergency drills, since their reactions to microgravity can be a bit unpredictable.
Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin have young passengers spend more time practicing how to stay restrained. They want to make sure these travelers know how to secure themselves during acceleration.
Key training for younger passengers:
Young tourists must show they can follow instructions under stress. Instructors focus on situational awareness, since younger people can get overwhelmed by the commercial spaceflight rush.
Most companies run more frequent medical checks during training for younger passengers. Their bodies might react differently to G-force simulations than older adults.
Passengers over 60 get training schedules that allow more time to adapt to spacecraft systems. Companies usually stretch prep from three to five days for older tourists.
Blue Origin changes up its physical conditioning for older folks. Instead of fast drills, older passengers practice slower, more deliberate emergency moves.
Training tweaks for older passengers:
Older tourists spend more time practicing weightlessness moves, since it takes them longer to adjust their balance. Training centers use harnesses to help during zero-gravity practice.
Commercial spaceflight companies put a big focus on heart health for older passengers. They provide heart monitors and teach breathing techniques for launch.
Most providers break up training into shorter sessions for older travelers. This helps prevent fatigue and makes it easier to remember safety info.
Every major space tourism company comes up with its own age requirements, shaped by flight profiles and safety rules. Most say you need to be at least 18, but upper age limits and medical checks really depend on the company.
Virgin Galactic sets 18 as the minimum age for passengers, but they don’t put a cap on how old you can be. Instead of a hard cutoff, they look at your health.
Before flying, passengers fill out a detailed medical questionnaire. Virgin Galactic’s medical folks check each application to see if you’re fit for space.
They’ve already flown people in their 70s and 80s. You’ll need to climb stairs on your own and move around the cabin without help.
Key Virgin Galactic Requirements:
The suborbital flights last just long enough for about four minutes of weightlessness. Because the trip is short, more people of different ages get a shot compared to longer missions.
Virgin Galactic asks you to show that you can move and think clearly. You’ll need to follow emergency instructions and react to the crew during the flight.
Blue Origin also sets the bar at 18 for New Shepard flights. They’ve had passengers from 18 all the way up to 82 on the same trip.
Their screening puts a lot of weight on heart health and mobility. You’ll need to climb seven flights of stairs in 90 seconds—no kidding.
Blue Origin Physical Requirements:
Their 11-minute flights give you about four minutes of weightlessness. The short ride means older folks can sometimes fly when they wouldn’t qualify for longer trips.
Doctors check your heart, blood pressure, and bones. If you’re over 60, expect extra screening to make sure you can handle launch and landing.
Everyone has to do safety briefings and emergency training before launch day.
SpaceX sticks to 18 as the minimum age for Dragon missions, with no official upper age limit. But their medical process is way more intense because these flights last days, not minutes.
Passengers go through months of medical checks—heart stress tests, psychological evaluations, and physical exams. It’s a lot like what professional astronauts do.
SpaceX Medical Process:
Dragon missions run three to four days in orbit, so you’re dealing with long-term weightlessness and more radiation. You’ll need to be in excellent shape—physically and mentally.
Training takes several months. You’ll learn emergency procedures, how to run the spacecraft, and get in shape. SpaceX expects you to show you know your stuff before you fly.
Most SpaceX passengers fall between 25 and 55, probably because of how tough the prep is.
Axiom Space runs private trips to the ISS, and their age rules look a lot like NASA’s. You have to be at least 18, but realistically, they usually top out around 55 to 60.
You’ll need to pass NASA-level medical screening for ISS missions. That means the same tough health and psychological checks that astronauts get.
Training lasts for months. You’ll learn ISS operations, emergency drills, and even science experiments.
Axiom Mission Requirements:
These missions usually last 8-10 days in microgravity. Longer trips mean you have to handle things like fluid shifts and bone changes.
Axiom looks for passengers who can handle the physical and mental challenges of space station life. Age-related stuff like bone recovery and heart adaptation matter more on these longer journeys.
Space tourism companies will probably open their doors to more age groups as medical screening gets better and space accommodations improve. With advanced spacecraft and space hotels on the way, a lot of the current physical barriers could fade out.
Medical tech is moving fast, and it’s changing how companies screen passengers. Real-time health monitoring during flights might replace some of the strict pre-flight rules.
AI could help doctors predict how different ages handle microgravity and G-forces. That means risk assessments might get more personal instead of just using age as a cutoff.
Emerging medical technologies include:
Space tourism companies already work with aerospace medicine experts to build age-specific training. Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin are testing new ways to screen based on health, not just age.
Telemedicine will let doctors check on you before and after flights, even from far away. This could help older passengers get ready for space and recover afterward.
Space hotels could totally change age restrictions by making the environment less harsh. Rotating sections will create artificial gravity, so you won’t have to deal with brutal rocket launches.
Gateway Foundation and Axiom Space are designing orbital hotels with medical bays and trained staff. Guests could stay for days or weeks, not just a quick up-and-down.
Space hotel features that expand age access:
By 2035, the industry expects hotels to welcome guests from 16 to 80. They’ll offer wheelchair access and mobility help—something most current spacecraft just can’t do.
Space hotels will even have areas for different age groups. Kids might get zero-G playgrounds, while older guests can relax in wellness centers.
Space travel companies keep chipping away at barriers with better spacecraft and friendlier training. SpaceX Dragon capsules already offer smoother rides, with autopilot systems that take work off passengers.
Lower prices will make space tourism possible for more people. As costs fall from millions to maybe hundreds of thousands, families could take multi-generational trips.
Accessibility improvements in development:
Companies are building special programs for different groups. Some are planning flights just for seniors, with extra prep time and medical support.
Youth programs are growing, even with age limits. These help kids get ready for future space travel with simulations and hands-on learning.
Spaceflight brings up unique issues when kids want in. Right now, you have to be 18 to legally agree to the risks of suborbital or orbital flights.
Legal consent is the main roadblock for minors in commercial space tourism. Unlike some adventure sports, companies can’t take a parent’s signature for spaceflight. The FAA says you have to be able to fully understand and accept the serious risks of leaving Earth.
High G-forces during launch—about 3-4 times normal gravity—can put a lot of strain on young bodies. Doctors just don’t know how those forces affect kids whose bones and organs are still growing.
Physical development factors add more hurdles:
A few companies have looked at exceptions for kids as young as 12, but with strict medical oversight and heavy parental involvement. These cases are extremely rare.
Training is another big challenge. Astronaut prep takes months of tough physical and technical work—most kids just aren’t ready for that kind of commitment. Emergency drills need fast thinking and decision-making that usually comes with age.
Commercial space travel has its own age rules and eligibility standards, which differ from military Space-A programs. Veterans and active military folks can access special travel options with their own requirements.
Most space tourism companies set 18 as the minimum age for safety reasons. That’s the usual rule for suborbital flights.
Some companies might let younger people fly with extra medical checks and parental consent, but that’s rare. Upper age limits aren’t strict—health matters more than age.
Physical fitness checks matter most. Companies look at your ability to handle G-forces and follow safety instructions.
Longer missions hit older passengers harder—weightlessness can mess with bone density and muscles, especially as you age.
Hearts and blood pressure get stressed during launch and re-entry. Companies run thorough medical exams to spot risks.
Younger people usually bounce back faster from space effects. Still, most commercial flights keep missions short to cut down on health impacts.
Military retirees can use Space-Available flights through Air Mobility Command. You’ll need a valid military ID to get these travel perks.
Retirees can bring eligible dependents on Space-A flights. The program lets you hop on military planes when there’s room after missions.
Seats go to people based on priority categories, so retirees with flexible schedules often have an edge since Space-A flights operate standby.
Veterans need a disability rating and a blue DD Form 2 card to get Space-A travel. Only disabled vets qualify—this doesn’t include all former service members.
Dependents can fly too, if there’s space. Veterans with a red DD Form 2 can’t bring dependents on Space-A flights.
You’ll need current military ID and proof of disability. Veterans follow the same check-in rules as active duty.
Active duty service members qualify for Space-A travel with the right ID. Guard and Reserve members get these privileges while serving.
Military folks can bring eligible dependents. Whether they can fly depends on the sponsor’s ID type and their status.
You have to register at the terminal before flying. Boarding order depends on your travel category and when you signed up.
Space-A travel works on a standby basis, not with traditional reservations. If you’re eligible, you’ll need to sign up at military passenger terminals when flights are available.
You should keep an eye on flight schedules using the Air Mobility Command websites. Staying flexible is important—military missions always come first, so plans can change at the last minute.
To register, just show your valid military ID at the passenger service counter. Travelers get seats based on their priority category and the time they signed up.
