China to Unveil First Space Tourism Project at Shenzhen Tech Fair

Historic Announcement at Shenzhen Tech Fair

China is poised to make a significant leap into the burgeoning space tourism market with the official unveiling of its first space tourism project. The announcement is scheduled to take place at the 27th China International High-Tech Fair (CHTF), held from November 14 to 16, 2025, at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the nation's leading space contractor, will introduce its ambitious initiative, signaling a major milestone for China's commercial space industry.

The CHTF, a prominent platform for technological exchange and innovation, will span a massive 400,000 square meters of exhibition space and feature 22 specialized zones. Officials from the Shenzhen municipal government confirmed that CASC's space tourism program will be a central highlight, alongside showcases of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and the low-altitude economy.

Pioneering Commercial Space Ventures

CASC's entry into space tourism underscores China's broader strategic push to become a global leader in space exploration and innovation. This development aligns with the country's recognition of the commercial space sector as a 'new engine of economic growth'.

While CASC prepares for its official debut, other Chinese commercial space companies have already outlined their own plans for suborbital space travel:

• CAS Space, a commercial spinoff from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, aims to launch its 'space tourism vehicle' by 2027, with flights to the edge of space commencing in 2028. Their vehicle is designed to carry seven passengers in a cabin featuring four panoramic windows. CAS Space envisions frequent launches, with a target of one flight every 100 hours from a dedicated aerospace theme park, which will also include a space experience center and educational facilities. Ticket prices are estimated to range from 2 million to 3 million yuan (approximately $287,200 to $430,800 USD).
• Deep Blue Aerospace, a tech start-up based in Jiangsu province, has already sold two tickets for 1.5 million yuan (US$210,000) each for a suborbital flight scheduled for 2027. These flights are expected to last around 12 minutes, offering passengers at least five minutes of weightlessness.

The Future of Chinese Space Tourism

The planned space tourism experiences primarily involve suborbital flights, where rockets reach the edge of space—typically above the Kármán line (100 kilometers high)—allowing passengers to experience weightlessness before returning to Earth, without entering orbit. Experts anticipate that China's space tourism sector will reach an early stage of commercial operations within the next five to ten years.

The unveiling at the Shenzhen Tech Fair is expected to generate significant international interest, positioning China as a key player in the global space tourism economy and potentially paving the way for the development of new spaceports and related infrastructure.