Looking to start space-tourism flights in 2018 that he predicts will open the floodgates for a new breed of entrepreneurs,  Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos said in some years he has personally invested up to $1 billion to further those goals.

Flanked by a New Shepard rocket featuring the telltale scorch marks of multiple flights, Mr. Bezos appeared before a gaggle of reporters during a conference here Wednesday to lay out his vision for Blue Origin LLC, the company he founded more than a decade ago to lower launch costs and make reusable rockets a reality.

He said he was "hopeful" that Blue Origin will begin offering trips for paying customers next year, adding that "I'm super optimistic" there will be a large market for such 11-minute thrill rides in a fully automated capsule offering views of the earth from the edge of space. Blue Origin hasn't yet set a price or begun marketing efforts.