A COMPANY has finally unveiled their uber-luxurious space capsules set to carry the ultra-rich to the edge of space.
The Florida-based Space Perspective plans to fly passengers to an impressive altitude of 100,00ft – for the eye-watering price of $125,000 (£100,000).
The pressurised aircraft, which has been dubbed “SpaceBalloon”, will gently ascend to the edge of space at 12mph.
The gigantic space orb comes complete with nine lavish, reclining seats – for eight passengers and one pilot.
But the long-list of impressive amenities hardly stops there.
Inside the capsule, lucky passengers will enjoy the comforts of the world’s first Space Lounge, complete with Wi-Fi, fine dining, and luxury amenities provided by prestige partners.
Almost as though interactive lighting, sound systems, and a bar wasn’t enough, the capsule’s lounge features several plants and herbs – like basil and rosemary – which is used in on-board food and drinks.
Passengers will benefit from panoramic views through the largest windows ever flown to space – and even enjoy “a proper restroom” the company is calling the Space Spa.
The firm is aiming to take more than 1,750 current ticket holders to the edge of space by next year, and are expected to hit 4,000 seats sold – $400M in bookings – by the end of this year.
Space Perspective said Tuesday: “Introducing Spaceship Neptune – Excelsior, our finished test capsule!
“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 firm added: “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, which is named Excelsior in honour of late balloon space-jump pioneer Joe Kittinger, is claimed to be the largest spaceflight capsule in existence.
The spherical capsule is 16 feet (4.9 metres) in diameter, providing a pressurised volume of more than 2,000 cubic feet (60 cubic metres).
This means that the balloon is roughly 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.
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.”
