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The Japanese company Iwaya Giken is launching tours for thrill-seekers who want to see the Earth from an astronaut’s perspective. For a few-hour flight in a capsule attached to a balloon with a pilot, the tourist will pay $180,000.
A hermetically sealed two-person capsule, 1.5 meters wide, featuring multiple panoramic windows, will reach an altitude of 25 kilometers. This is far from the edge of outer space, but still high enough to see the curvature of the Earth against the backdrop of the black sky.
The hot air balloon carrying a capsule with tourists will launch from a port on Hokkaido Island. The ascent will last two hours. The travelers will not exit into open space. They will enjoy the cosmic views for an hour before returning to Earth.
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A trendy theme for thrill-seekers.
The startup Iwaya Giken has been working on a project called “Open Universe” since 2012. During this time, its specialists have conducted tests of smaller balloons at low altitudes, it reports. Science Alert .
Last month, the company began accepting applications from future travelers. The first five passengers will be selected in October. The first tour to the stratosphere is scheduled for December, weather permitting.
The CEO of the startup, Keisuke Iwaya, assures that these flights will be safe and accessible to people. The company plans to significantly reduce the cost of tickets to the stratosphere in the future. According to the CEO, “the idea is to make space tourism accessible to everyone.” Moreover, tourists do not need to undergo special training or learn a foreign language to communicate with fellow astronauts.
Iwaya Giken has also announced its readiness to sell the panoramic capsule for $735,000.
The topic of space, and specifically stratospheric tourism, is gaining popularity. For example, World View Enterprises from Arizona (USA) is currently focused on developing unmanned stratospheric balloons. Starting next year, they will transport space passengers for $50,000. Meanwhile, its subsidiary Space Perspective in Florida is already selling tickets for stratospheric flights at $125,000, which will begin in 2025.
