The world’s largest capsule built for space travel opened its doors to the public, revealing a luxury experience for up to eight people paying $125.00 per seat.
Florida-based Space Perspective showed off the final version of its Neptune – Excelsior spacecraft that features a bar, plush seating and a “proper bathroom.”
Unlike other space tourism ventures that use rockets, this spherical capsule is tethered to a giant balloon that will rise 20 miles above the surface and remain suspended at the final frontier for two hours.
The capsule is twice the volume of Virgin Galactic’s Spaceship Two and Blue Origin’s New Shepard, and about four times that of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.
With the balloon completed and its launch vessel equipped, the company is now planning test flights, with the first human test scheduled for later this year.
However, Virgin takes paying customers 50 miles above the surface and Blue Origin goes up to 65 miles, but for double the price of Space Perspective.
“With the largest windows ever taken to space and a spherical design that allows for the most spacious interior of any human spaceflight capsule ever, our spacecraft offers the most incredible panoramic views of Earth,” the company shared in the announcement. .
“With its first SpaceBalloon completed and its launch vessel, Marine Spaceport Voyager, in its final stages of preparation, Space Perspective is beginning to glimpse its test flight window.”
The test capsule is named Excelsior in honor of the late balloon space jump pioneer Joe Kittinger, who held the world record for the highest skydive at 102,800 feet.
Neptune is 16 feet in diameter, providing a pressurized volume of over 2,000 cubic feet.
Inside the capsule, Explorers, as they are called, will enjoy the comforts of the world’s first Space Lounge, complete with Wi-Fi, great food, plush seating and luxury amenities.
They will also benefit from panoramic views through the largest windows ever brought to space, and even enjoy “a proper bath” that the company calls the Space Spa.
The company said the pod has a proper bathroom, complete with a hand-washing station.
The bathroom also has a flushing toilet. The company said 1,700 seats have been reserved.
Taber MacCallum, co-founder of Space Perspective, said: “We are on the cusp of astonishing change, not only in the way we humans experience space but also in what we conjure up in our minds when we think about the spacecraft carrying us. over there.
“We are redefining the category and paving the way for accessible space travel in the years to come.”
The interior of the capsule can accommodate eight space tourists who can experience deep reclining seats and ambient lighting, while taking in the views of space from the giant windows lining the walls.
Florida-based Space Perspective unveiled the final version of its Neptune – Excelsior spacecraft that features a bar, plush seating (pictured) and a “proper bathroom.”
Passengers will sip champagne as they enjoy their “relaxing” six-hour journey to see the curvature of the Earth before returning home.
The company said 1,700 seats have been reserved.
Space Perspective’s balloon is powered by hydrogen and the company notes that this makes it a safe experience because the air itself does not mix with the hydrogen.
The balloon will have a volume of 18 million cubic feet when fully expanded, large enough to hold a football stadium.
Because the gas is lighter than the surrounding air, the balloon will rise gently through Earth’s atmosphere, with the capsule below.
It will eventually reach equilibrium above 99 percent of Earth’s atmosphere, where it will float, “like an ice cube floating on water,” the company shared.
During the ascent, passengers will be able to see up to 450 miles in each direction and, at maximum altitude, will see the total darkness of space and the curvature of the Earth.
Throughout the flight, travelers will receive breakfast, order drinks and sit in their luxurious reclining seats while enjoying the exclusive views.
The capsule is twice the volume of Virgin Galactic’s Spaceship Two and Blue Origin’s New Shepard, and about four times that of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.
Unlike other space tourism ventures that use rockets, this spherical capsule is tethered to a giant balloon that will rise 20 miles above the surface and remain suspended at the final frontier for two hours.
When it is time to return to Earth, the balloon will gradually release a small amount of gas that will turn into water so it can descend.
That’s why the vehicle has almost zero emissions and is markedly different from conventional launches that burn rocket fuel.
A patent-pending splash cone at its base provides a “soft, gentle landing on the water” in the ocean before passengers are taken back to land.
The company plans to make multiple capsules of the Neptune spacecraft, which would be launched from ships parked in the ocean.
Multiple capsules of the Neptune spacecraft could see each other in space at a distance of 20 to 30 miles, and would also be visible to people on the ground.
Customers have already purchased entire capsules for group events and some even want to celebrate their wedding there, according to the firm, which began selling flights at the end of June 2021.
Others can celebrate their milestone birthday aboard a capsule or take a corporate event “to new heights,” according to the company.