Orbital Tourism Flights
A 90-minute low-earth-orbit circuit aboard the Halcyon-class spaceplane, including four full orbital sunrises and two hours of weightless observation time over the Aurora Cupola.
Est. 2031 · Meridian Launch Complex, Atacama Frontier Zone
From the Edge of Earth
to the Frontier of Space
Aurora Expeditions designs, flies, and crews the vehicles carrying civilians, scientists, and cargo beyond the atmosphere — responsibly, repeatedly, and in full view of the public who make it possible.
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Space Crew Following Our Missions
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Mission Launches Tracked
"Our mission is to push the frontier of human exploration — responsibly, sustainably, and in partnership with the public who watches every launch. We build the vehicles, we train the crews, and we bring humanity a little further from home each year."
— Aurora Expeditions, Founding Charter, 2031What We Fly
Five Programs. One Frontier.
From your first orbital sunrise to a permanent foothold on Mars, every Aurora program is a rung on the same ladder off this planet.
Lunar Research Missions
Six-week rotations at Selene Outpost in the Shackleton rim, supporting regolith science, ice-core extraction, and long-duration habitat testing for the crews that will fly on to Mars.
Mars Colonization Program
Our flagship initiative: crewed transit missions aboard the Horizon-class deep-space vessel toward the Ares Basin, laying the foundation modules for humanity's first permanent Martian settlement.
Deep-Space Cargo
Unmanned Kuiper-class freighters ferrying construction modules, life-support stock, and scientific payloads to every active outpost, launched on a predictable bi-monthly manifest.
Astronaut Training Academy
A 14-month certification track covering EVA operations, zero-g medicine, spacecraft systems, and deep-space psychology — open to civilians, scientists, and engineers alike.
Not sure where you fit?
Talk to a mission advisor about which program matches your goals, timeline, and training level.
Book a Mission BriefingLive Status
Current Missions
A snapshot of what's in orbit, in transit, and on the pad right now.
In Progress
AX-118
Helios Ascent
Orbital Tourism Flight
Eight civilian passengers currently completing their third orbital circuit aboard Halcyon-3, with re-entry scheduled for tomorrow at 06:40 local.
Active
AX-092
Selene Outpost IV
Lunar Research Mission
Week 4 of 6 for the current rotation — ice-core sampling ahead of schedule near the Shackleton rim, two EVAs completed this week.
Preparing for Launch
AX-201
Ares Horizon
Mars Colonization Program
First crewed transit vessel for the Ares Basin foundation modules, in final systems checks ahead of a launch window opening next quarter.
En Route
AX-076
Kuiper Runner
Deep-Space Cargo
Unmanned freighter carrying habitat-expansion panels and medical stock, currently 61% of the way to Selene Outpost.
How A Mission Unfolds
The Journey
Every Aurora mission, from a 90-minute orbital hop to a seven-month Mars transit, moves through the same four stages.
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01
Launch
Crew and cargo lift off from Meridian Launch Complex aboard a Halcyon or Horizon-class vehicle, monitored live by our Atacama mission control.
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02
Orbit
Vehicles circularize in low-earth orbit for systems verification, crew acclimatization, and — on tourism flights — the mission's signature observation window.
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03
Deep Space
For lunar and Mars missions, a trans-orbital burn commits the vehicle to its outbound trajectory for the multi-week or multi-month transit ahead.
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04
Return
Re-entry, splashdown or runway landing, and a full medical and psychological debrief for every crew member before public mission reporting.
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Successful Crewed Missions
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Crew Members Trained
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Mission Launches Tracked
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Space Enthusiasts Following
Meet The Crew
The People Behind the Missions
A small sample of the pilots, scientists, and mission specialists flying under the Aurora flag.
Commander Rhea Okonkwo
Flight Commander, Mars Program
Eleven years of orbital command experience and lead pilot on three Selene Outpost rotations. Rhea is training the crew that will fly Ares Horizon to the Ares Basin.
Dr. Iman Al-Rashidi
Chief Planetary Scientist
Leads the ice-core and regolith research program at Selene Outpost, and designs the science manifest for every lunar and Mars-bound mission.
Kaito Fujimori
Lead Flight Systems Engineer
Designed the Halcyon-class guidance stack and personally certifies every vehicle before it clears the Meridian pad for launch.
Dr. Naledi Vermaak
Director, Astronaut Training Academy
Built the Academy's 14-month curriculum from the ground up and has personally certified over 120 crew members since 2032.
Enrollment Open
Apply for the Astronaut Training Academy
Or, if you're not ready to commit, book a free 20-minute Mission Briefing with an Aurora advisor to talk through your options.
- 14-month certification, part-time and full-time tracks available
- No prior aerospace experience required for the Orbital Tourism track
- Rolling admissions — next cohort begins in 6 weeks