(Lebanon, NH — April 30, 2026) Travelers remain hesitant about space tourism despite the successful return of NASA’s Artemis II mission, according to new data from the Global Rescue Spring 2026 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey.

While Artemis II marks a major milestone in reestablishing human lunar exploration and advancing plans for a sustained presence on the Moon, the survey shows most travelers are not ready to follow. Only 24% of respondents say they are very or somewhat interested in traveling to the Moon. In contrast, nearly three-quarters, 74%, report low or no interest, including 57% who say they are not interested at all.

“The Artemis II mission proves what’s possible,” said Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies and a member of the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the US Department of Commerce. “But traveler sentiment makes clear that possibility doesn’t equal demand, at least not yet.”

Cost is a major barrier. Only about 10% would consider paying up to $250,000 for a trip, and fewer than 2% would pay $750,000 or more. At the other end of the spectrum, nearly three-quarters of travelers, 74%, say none of the proposed price points, including options exceeding $1 million, are acceptable.

Even with Artemis II’s success, travelers remain focused on risk. A majority, 56%, cite catastrophic mission failure as their primary safety concern. Being stranded ranks second at 17%, while concerns about getting sick or injured during the trip are relatively low at just under 7%.

“Space travel introduces a category of risk that most travelers have never had to evaluate,” Richards said. “The consequences are absolute, and that heavily shapes perception.”

The survey also found that women are less interested in lunar travel than men, with 62% reporting no interest at all compared with 55% of men. Non-US travelers show somewhat higher interest and slightly more pricing tolerance than US-based respondents, though overall sentiment remains cautious across all groups.

Current commercial space travel is operational but remains limited and expensive. Offerings include short suborbital flights and multi-day orbital missions, including trips to the International Space Station. Despite this progress, costs remain a major barrier, with suborbital seats priced in the hundreds of thousands and orbital missions costing several million dollars.

Artemis II represents a significant step forward in human space exploration. But the survey findings suggest consumer readiness still trails technological capability. For now, while returning to the Moon is no longer theoretical, most travelers remain content to stay Earthbound.

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About the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey

Global Rescue, the leading travel risk and crisis response provider, surveyed more than 1,200 current and former members between April 7–13, 2026. Respondents shared their attitudes, behaviors and preferences related to travel safety, technology and global mobility.

About Global Rescue

Global Rescue is the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services to enterprises, governments and individuals. Founded in 2004, Global Rescue maintains exclusive relationships with the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Division of Special Operations and Elite Medical Group. The company has provided medical and security support during every major global crisis over the past two decades.