GabyTourists who aspire to reach for the stars can now have lunch or dinner in the stratosphere, enjoying a view of our planet from an altitude of 25 kilometers.
In 2024, the French startup Zephalto will begin hosting Michelin-starred meals at the edge of space. Travelers will ascend to the stratosphere in the Céleste capsule, which is suspended… in a hot air balloon .
By the way, the exquisite capsule design was created by the famous Parisian architect Joseph Dirand.
From an altitude of 25 km, thrill-seekers will enjoy the finest dishes from renowned chefs, sip exquisite wines, and admire our planet to their favorite music. Those who prefer not to listen to music will relish the tranquility of space.
Design of a capsule suspended from a hot air balloon.
120 thousand euros is certainly a lot, even for the most expensive lunch at the best French restaurant. But, as the organizers of trips to the edge of space promise, the journey is worth it. After all, such breathtaking views of Earth, the Sun, and the stars were previously only available to astronauts.
The capsule with large panoramic windows, accommodating six passengers and two pilots, will ascend in a hot air balloon at a speed of 4 m/s. The ascent, descent, and culinary-visual enjoyment program will last six hours (three hours “on the way,” plus three hours of floating in the stratosphere).
As long as there is demand for space tours, there will be supply.
Initially, the space tourism company Zephalto planned to conduct its first gastronomic flight in 2025. However, there were too many interested parties, so the plans were pushed to the end of 2024. The startup aims to carry out 60 flights per year.
There are no age restrictions for hot air balloon travel, the company stated. No special training is required for this either. If a person flies on airplanes, they can also travel on Céleste. The only thing space enthusiasts won’t be able to experience is weightlessness, the publication reported. Daily Mail .
Previously, critics of suborbital rockets for space tourism They expressed concerns that their greenhouse gas emissions would contribute to global warming more than aviation. This particularly applies to the startups Blue Origin by Jeff Bezos and Virgin Galactic by Richard Branson. Meanwhile, Zephalto offers the least polluting alternative for reaching the stratosphere: a balloon filled with helium and hydrogen.
Zephalto is not the only company developing the direction of stratospheric travel in hot air balloons. Its competitor, the American company Space Perspective, also plans to enter the space tourism market next year.
