How can you become a space tourist?

The first public tickets sold by Virgin Galactic went for between $200,000 and $250,000 each

The Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo spaceplane 'Unity' and mothership separate as they fly way above Spaceport America, near the city of Truth or Consequences in New Mexico on July 11, 2021 on the way to outer space. AFPShow less

Thrill-seekers might soon be able to get their adrenalin kicks, and envy-inducing Instagram snaps from the final frontier, as space tourism finally lifts off.

All you'll need is a bit of patience. And a lot of money.

Here's a rundown of where things stand.

Two companies are offering short "suborbital" hops of a few minutes: Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, founded by Richard Branson.

Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket takes off vertically and the crew capsule detaches and crosses the Karman line 100 kilometres in altitude, before falling back to Earth with three parachutes.

Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin, at New Shepard's West Texas launch facility before the rocket's maiden voyage on April 24, 2015. AFP

Virgin Galactic uses a massive carrier plane, which takes off from a horizontal runway then drops a rocket-powered spaceplane. This in turn soars to over a 100km-altitude before gliding back.

In both cases, up to six passengers are able to unbuckle from their seats to experience a few minutes of weightlessness and take in the view of Earth from space.

Virgin Galactic has said regular commercial flights will begin from 2022, following two more test flights. Their waiting list is already long, with 600 tickets sold so far.

But the company predicts it will eventually run up to 400 flights per year. Two seats on one of the first flights are up for grabs in a prize draw: registrations are open until Wednesday, September 1.

As for Blue Origin, no detailed calendar has been announced.

"We're planning for two more flights this year, then targeting many more in 2022," a representative told AFP.

Another way to get to space is via reality television. The coming show Space Hero says it plans to send the winner of a competition to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2023.

The first tickets sold by Virgin Galactic went for between $200,000 and $250,000 each, but the company has said that the price for future sales will go up.

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  Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson is greeted by schoolchildren before boarding the rocket plane at Spaceport America, New Mexico.

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  Pilot Michael Masucci makes his way to Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane 'VSS Unity'.

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  Sirisha Bandla, Virgin Galactic's vice president of government affairs and research operations, was among the passengers on the flight.

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  Mr Branson is driven to the rocket plane at Spaceport America, near the city of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

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  Mr Branson, his fellow passengers and the crew are driven to the rocket plane.

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  Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane 'VSS Unity', borne by a twin-fuselage carrier jet called 'VMS Eve', before its launch in New Mexico.

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  Virgin Galactic's chief astronaut instructor Beth Mose embraces Mr Branson and other crew members before boarding the 'VSS Unity'.

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  People gather to watch the 'VSS Unity' take off from Spaceport America.

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  The jet takes off on its way to space.

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  The 'VSS Unity' and its mothership separate above Spaceport America.

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  The jet starts its engines as it travels to the edge of space.

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  Mr Branson was one of six people on board the 'VSS Unity'.

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  Mr Branson enjoys the journey as the billionaire is flown to space.

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  The rocket plane starts its untethered ascent to the edge of space.

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  Mr Branson, his fellow passengers and crew on board the 'VSS Unity'.

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  Virgin Galactic's rocket plane begins its ascent to the edge of space.

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  It was the 22nd test launch to space on the 'VSS Unity'.

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  Mr Branson has travelled to space about 17 years after founding Virgin Galactic.

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  Spectators watch as the 'VSS Unity' separates from its mothership.

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  The 'VSS Unity' lands after taking passengers including Mr Branson to the edge of space.

Blue Origin hasn't announced prices. The anonymous winner of a public auction for a seat on the first crewed flight paid $28 million, but decided to defer their trip.

It's not known what amount was bid for the seat secured by Dutch teen Oliver Daemen, who will fly in the auction winner's place.

The more "budget-conscious" might consider spending $125,000 for a seat on Space Neptune, a capsule that offers 360-degree windows and is lifted to the upper atmosphere by a balloon the size of a football stadium.

Despite the promise of spectacular views, the balloon ascends only 30km, far from the boundary of space, and weightlessness.

The 300 seats on Space Neptune for 2024 have all been sold, but reservations are open for 2025.

Fit for space?

You're only expected to be in reasonable shape. Virgin Galactic's training lasts only five days.

Blue Origin promises to teach you everything you need to know "the day before you launch," and its first crewed flight includes pioneering aviator Wally Funk, who at 82 will become the oldest astronaut.

The company's requirements include being able to climb seven flights of stairs in under 90 seconds (the height of the launch tower) and being between 152 centimetres and 193cm in height, and 50 kilograms and 100kg in weight.

Elon Musk's company is also getting into the space tourism game, but its plans involve journeys that are far longer. The costs are also predicted to be astronomical, tens of millions of dollars.

In September, American billionaire Jared Isaacman has chartered a mission called Inspiration4 to take him and three other passengers into orbit around the Earth on a SpaceX Crew Dragon, launched into space by a Falcon 9 rocket.

In January 2022, three businessmen will travel to the ISS with an experienced astronaut. The mission, named Ax-1, is being organised by the company Axiom Space, which has signed up for three other future flights with SpaceX.

Musk's company is also planning a trip to orbit for four people, organised by intermediary Space Adventures, the same company in charge of the flight of the Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa to the ISS in December, aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket.

Maezawa is also supposed to take a trip around the Moon in 2023, this time aboard a rocket that is still under development by SpaceX, called Starship.

He invited eight members of the public to join him, but applications are now closed.