All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japanese travel agency HIS have announced a US$440,000 investment into domestic venture firm PD AeroSpace, which aims to send tourists into outer space as early as 2023.
The investment is meant to help the startup develop a next-generation engine for a passenger craft that switches between rocket and jet modes while offering “low-cost and safe access to space,” according to PD Aerospace.
HIS corporate planning department’s Tatsuki Miura told TTG Asia: “We see this as a new business opportunity, even though the first operational flight is not expected to take place until 2023.
“We expect initial demand to come from Japan, but that will grow to travellers from other countries quite quickly,” Miura added.
And while other companies are pioneering similar commercial spacecraft – notably Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic venture – Maho Ito, a spokeswoman for ANA, said the market for space travel and potential intergalactic destinations are expansive so “there will be enough business to go around”.
ANA will offer know-how in aircraft technology, while HIS will be responsible for the promotion of space travel, tickets and other ground services.
A single seat on the spacecraft is expected to cost around US$120,000.
