The world’s largest capsule built for space travel has opened its doors to the public, revealing a luxurious experience for up to eight people who pay $125,00 per seat.
Florida-based Space Perspective showcased the final version of its Spaceship Neptune – Excelsior that features a bar, plush seating and ‘proper restroom.’
Unlike other space tourist companies that use rockets, this spherical pod is strapped to a giant balloon that will soar 20 miles above the surface and hang in the final frontier for two hours.
The capsule is two times 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 outfitted, the company is now mapping out test flights – with the first human trial set for later this year.
However, Virgin takes paying customers 50 miles above the surface and Blue Origin soars 65 miles – but for double the price of Space Perspective.
‘With the largest windows ever flown to space and a spherical design that allows for the roomiest interior of any human spaceflight capsule ever made, our spaceship offers the most incredible panoramic views of Earth,’ the company shared in the announcement.
‘With its first SpaceBalloon finished and its launch vessel, Marine Spaceport Voyager, in its final stage of preparation, Space Perspective is beginning to eye its test flights window.’
The test capsule is named Excelsior in honor of 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 more than 2,000 cubic feet.
Inside the capsule, Explorers, as they are dubbed, will enjoy the comforts of the world’s first Space Lounge, complete with Wi-Fi, fine dining, plush seating and luxury amenities.
They will also benefit from panoramic views through the largest windows ever flown to space – and even enjoy ‘a proper restroom’ the company calls the Space Spa.
The company said the capsule has a proper restroom, complete with handwashing station
The bathroom also features a flushable toilet. The company said 1,700 seats have been reserved
Taber MacCallum, Space Perspective co-founder, said: ‘We are on the cusp of a staggering shift – not only in the way we humans experience space but also what we conjure in our minds when we think of the spaceship that gets us there.
‘We are redefining the category and paving the way for accessible space travel for years to come.’
The capsule’s interior fits up to eight space tourists who can experience deep seats that recline and ‘mood lighting, as they take in the views of space from giant windows that line the walls.
Florida-based Space Perspective showcased the final version of its Spaceship Neptune – Excelsior that features a bar, plush seating (pictured) and ‘proper restroom
Passengers will sip champagne as they enjoy their ‘relaxing’ six-hour trip to see the curvature of the Earth before returning home.
The company said 1,700 seats have been reserved.
Space Perspective’s balloon is fueled by hydrogen and the company notes that this makes for a safe experience because the air itself isn’t mixing with hydrogen.
The balloon will be 18 million cubic feet in volume when fully expanded – big enough to contain a football stadium.
As the gas is lighter than the surrounding air, the balloon will gently lift up and up through Earth’s atmosphere, with the capsule below it.
It will eventually come to equilibrium above 99 percent of Earth’s atmosphere where it will float, ‘like an ice cube floating on water’, the firm shared.
During the ascent, passengers will be able to see as far as 450 miles in every direction, and at peak altitude, they’ll see the total blackness of space and the curvature of Earth.
Throughout the flight, travelers will be given breakfast, can order drinks and sit back in their plush reclining seats while soaking up the exclusive views.
The capsule is two times 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 tourist companies that use rockets, this spherical pod is strapped to a giant balloon that will soar 20 miles above the surface and hang in the final frontier for two hours
When it’s time to return to Earth, the balloon will gradually release a small amount of gas that turns into water so it can descend.
This is why the vehicle has almost zero emissions and is starkly different from conventional launches that burn rocket fuel.
A patent-pending splash cone at its base provides a ‘smooth and gentle water landing’ in the ocean before passengers are taken back to land.
The firm is planning on making multiple Spaceship Neptune capsules, which would launch from ships stationed in the ocean.
Multiple Spaceship Neptune capsules would be able to see each other in space from 20 to 30 miles away, and would also be visible to people on the ground.
Customers have already bought up entire capsules for group events and some even want to have their weddings there, according to the firm, which started selling flights at the end of June 2021.
Others may celebrate their milestone birthday aboard a capsule or take a corporate event ‘to new heights’, according to the company.
