GabyHouseWife has written a lot about space tourism, including hot air balloons. The emergence of new startups organizing high-altitude flights is driven by the extraordinary popularity of the topic and the large number of people eager to embark on such journeys.
Recently, the Florida-based company Space Perspective showcased a test model of its space capsule “Neptune,” reports the publication. New Atlas .
Future space tourists first heard about Space Perspective back in 2020. At that time, the company’s management announced plans to organize commercial stratospheric trips to an altitude of 30,480 meters (100,000 feet) for groups of eight passengers and one pilot. The entire flight will last six hours. Travelers were promised that they would be able to enjoy views of our planet and the vastness of outer space.
How will it be?
Passengers will fly in a hermetically sealed capsule called “Neptune,” which will be attached to a hydrogen-filled balloon the size of a “football stadium.” It will take the capsule two hours to reach its maximum altitude. During the next two hours, tourists will explore the vastness of space. And for another two hours, they will return home. At this stage, gas from the balloon will be slowly released. At the end of the flight, “Neptune” will land in the Atlantic Ocean.
The capsule will be equipped with comfortable seating, a snack bar, a Wi-Fi system with live streaming capability, 360-degree panoramic windows, and a restroom below deck.
Space Perspective has scheduled its first launch of space tourists for the end of next year. According to the startup, there is already a significant queue of potential travelers. The company has reportedly sold 1,600 tickets to the stratosphere, despite the price being $125,000 each.
By the way, during the presentation, the developers did not showcase the promised cozy cabin, as the demonstrated concept is intended solely for numerous test flights. The first of these will be unmanned, and only after that will the “Neptune” fly with a crew.
The company also announced that its specialists are close to completing the construction of the vessel Marine Spaceport Voyager, from which tourists are likely to launch.
