China has taken a significant step in developing its space economy, unveiling its first commercial crewed space capsule designed for suborbital flights. The capsule, named “Crosser 1” (CYZ1), was presented on Thursday in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, by Interstellar, the only private company authorized in China to carry out a national program for commercial crewed flights.
The company reported that more than three capsules have already been pre-booked, representing over 20 space tourists, with the expectation to conduct the first crewed flight by 2028.
From its early stages of design, the capsule has been made to be nearly fully reusable, benefiting from the experience China has gained through Shenzhou spacecraft and next-generation crewed capsules. The company aims for a reusability rate of up to 99 percent of the total vehicle mass.
Passengers wishing to experience this journey will undergo specialized training covering the principles of space science, stages of the suborbital flight, safety and emergency procedures, in addition to space medicine fundamentals.
Experts affirm that while these requirements are less stringent than those imposed on professional astronauts, they remain essential for ensuring participant safety and the quality of the zero-gravity experience.
