The personal spaceflight industry could be worth more than $700 million by the end of the next decade, if market forecasts come true. With more than half a dozen companies trying to be the first to provide a trip into sub orbit the space race of the early 21st century is a commercial one.

With its own trade body, the Personal Spaceflight Federation, it is an industry centred in the US for the time being with Anglo-American venture Virgin Galactic the apparent pack leader. Close behind is thought to be the secretive Blue Origin and vying for third place is Xcor Aerospace and Armadillo Aerospace, companies with plenty of ideas but far less cash than the top two. While further behind but not to be counted out are the Oklahoma based-Rocketplane Global and Europe’s EADS Astrium space jet project.

Finally Space Adventures, with its monopoly on orbital tourism with the help of the Russians, can’t be dismissed as a possible entrant in the future despite the earlier collapse of its first attempt at suborbital service.

Space vechile profiles