Your Texas Lottery scratcher could land you a trip to space

The next time you buy a scratchers ticket you could be shooting for the stars.

Eight Texans will have the opportunity to travel to space in 2025, as part of a partnership between the Texas Lottery and private space exploration company Space Perspective through the lottery’s new Cash Blast tickets.

Winners will have to get lucky on a series of drawings to be selected, which will start with the purchase of a $20 scratch ticket eligible for cash prizes of up to $1 million, which is sold in places like convenience stores and HEB.

In the announcement, Gary Grief, Texas Lottery executive director said the lottery is looking for "new and creative ways," such as once-in-a-lifetime experiences to reward Texans who play.

“Many Americans have only dreamed of space travel. We’re proud to partner with the Texas Lottery to give Texans a unique opportunity to experience the transformative power of spaceflight," Grief said.

What are the prizes?

The $1 million Cash Blast tickets offer a top prize of $1 million, with additional prizes ranging from $20 to $100,000, according to the Texas lottery. Any tickets that don't win $1 million can be used to enter “Luck Zone” second chance drawings for a chance to win a space-related trip to Florida, which could ultimately result in the trips to space.

Five drawings for the Luck Zone will start in January and run through next year, during which 75 people will win the trip.

Through the partnership with Space Perspective, select winners will have a chance to join a space-themed trip to Florida where they could win a flight on the Spacecraft Neptune.

Spacecraft Neptune is a vehicle that attaches to a hydrogen fueled balloon, designed to carry winners to the stratosphere at a pace of 12 miles per hour. The vehicle is designed to be accessible to anyone who is able to fly on a commercial airline.

Jane Poytner, founder and co-CEO of Space Perspective said in a statement, that the company aims to give winners a unique opportunity to experience space travel. The company, which was founded in 2019, plans to have its first commercial flights in late 2024, for about $125,000 per seat, according to Space Perspective's website.

"We have completely reimagined human space travel with an option that is safe, accessible and gentle on our planet. With no training required, it’s as easy as being on an airplane," Poynter said.

On the six-hour flight, winners will spend two hours on the "edge of space," according to the announcement, and also have an opportunity to win an additional $100,000 cash prize while in the air.

While there's no technical definition of where space starts, Space Perspective's spacecraft will reach a height of 100,000 feet, or about 19 miles above Earth, a height which is above 98% of the Earth's atmosphere, according to the announcement.

Winners are expected to take the trip in 2025.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Lottery, Space Perspective to offer winners a space trip