Space Perspective’s Luxury High-Altitude Balloon

Florida-based startup wants to fly thousands of customers up to 100,000 feet in a spacious, luxury cabin.

Space Perspective hopes to revolutionize how humans experience space. Their ambitious plan involves taking individuals to the edge of space using high-tech space balloons - and could begin test flights within the next couple of months.

Artist's illustration of a Space Perspective capsule flying 100,000 feet over the ground, with the blackness of space above | Space Perspective

These tests are a prelude to Space Perspective's plans for regular commercial flights carrying paying customers to 100,000 feet (about 30 km), roughly three times higher than the cruising altitude of a typical commercial airliner. From 100,000 feet, intrepid clients will see panoramic views of the ground and ocean far below, and the sky will be black, with the capsule flying above 99 percent of Earth's atmosphere.

Founded in 2019, Space Perspective says on its website it is "driven by a desire to share the transformative power of space travel with as many people as possible." In reality, the company will give customers an experience similar to spaceflight, such as with Blue Origin or Virgin Galactic, but with a few significant differences.

Space Perspective's vehicle won't subject customers to any high G-forces or the risks of rocket flight, says Ars Technica. Passengers also will not experience floating in microgravity. And it will max out at 30 km, well short of the 80 km boundary of space recognized by the US government or the 100 km Kármán line. Still, the view from 30 km must be awesome!

With a diameter of 16 feet (4.9 m), this spacious spherical capsule will be setting new standards and is designed to comfortably host eight paying customers, along with a Captain. The capsule has several amenities, including the world's first Space Lounge with wifi and a restroom, plus large vertical windows for panoramic views.

Space Perspective plans to commence space trips by 2025. About 1,750 tickets have already been sold, with each seat priced at $125,000, reports Interesting Engineering. By the end of the year, the company expects to have sold 4,000 seats, accounting for $400 million in reservations.