Blue Origin will suspend space tourism flights for at least two years to focus on the company's lunar program.

Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, has announced that it will suspend space tourism flights for at least two years. This decision aims to reallocate resources to accelerate the development of human capabilities within the lunar program. The company emphasizes its commitment to the national goal of returning to the Moon and establishing a permanent presence there.

Blue Origin is involved in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to bring astronauts back to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years, thus paving the way for future missions to Mars. Since the beginning of its activities in space tourism in 2021, Blue Origin has completed 38 flights, transporting 98 people, including celebrities like Katy Perry and William Shatner. Criticism of space tourism focuses on the limited scientific benefits and the negative environmental impact. The cost of the trips is not officially disclosed, but estimates suggest amounts of several hundred thousand dollars.