Is $125,000 really worth for an out-of-this-world flying experience?
Space Perspective, a space tourism company (we didn’t know there was a category for that?) has created a balloon-driven space capsule called Neptune One that can take you to space for just $125,000! That’s still a pretty reasonable offer compared to what Bezos and Musk would be asking…
Neptune One is designed to conduct commercial space flights and successfully conducted its first test flight in June 2021 and is now open for space bookings for the years 2024, 2025 and beyond. So what are you waiting for? Book your trip for space now and you might just make it in time in a couple of years.
According to the proposed plan for the space flights, Neptune plans to carry passengers 100,000 feet (30 km or 18.64 miles) up in the sky which isn’t technically outer space according to Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) that explains outer space starts at a height of 330,000 feet (100 km or 62 miles) from Earth. Oh so that’s why they’re called space tourists and not actually astronauts since they won’t be in “space”.
The Neptune One spaceship is divided into three parts; a large flying balloon that runs on the same technology used by NASA in its stratospheric balloons, a pressurized space capsule allowing passengers to have a full 360-degree panoramic view of space and a descent system with a backup parachute in case of an emergency landing. And that’s not all, apart from the passenger seats, there will also be a refreshments bar, communication devices, personal cabinets, Wi-Fi and a bathroom so passengers can enjoy the whole experience!
While space balloon isn’t fairly a new concept as it has been used by different space companies to carry telescopes, robots and other equipment to space, it’s certainly a first for carrying real-life human passengers. During each flight, the pressurized capsule will carry nine space travelers including the pilot for a total of six hours, out of which only two hours would be spent at 100,000 feet above Earth.
Jane Ponyter, Co-CEO of Space Perspective told CNN, “We’re committed to fundamentally changing the way people have access to space — both to perform much-needed research to benefit life on Earth and to affect how we view and connect with our planet.”
Looks like SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic have got competition…