Thrill seekers can now travel into space in a giant balloon, with a seat costing £100,000.
Space Perspective is offering panoramic views of the Earth from luxury capsule featuring an open bar and a toilet after completing its first, successful test flight.
Deposits for the eight-seat trips, which are reported to begin at the end of this year, start from $1,000 (£789).
News of the capsule was first revealed on X by the company in February when they described the craft as having “the roomiest interior of any human spaceflight capsule ever made”.
The balloon will reportedly travel to the edge of space and sit 18 miles above the Earth’s atmosphere.
Space Perspective stressed the importance of safety in their tourist ship, which they have claimed will set a new record for the number of people taken to the edge of space.
In its most recent update last month, the company shared the panoramic view guests can expect in the capsule as they sip a cocktail at the edge of space, which still benefits from gravity.
During the Neptune-01 test flight, we captured the view that Explorers will have during their flight aboard Spaceship Neptune. They’ll see Earth’s majestic beauty against the blackness of space and the rich, thin blue line of the atmosphere flood in through the capsule’s massive… pic.twitter.com/6V5m2hXty9
— Space Perspective (@SpacePerspectiv) June 12, 2024
Space Perspective said: “Developed to be the most accessible, sustainable, and safest spacecraft on or above planet Earth, Spaceship Neptune comprises the SpaceBalloon, reserve descent system, and capsule.
“The capsule interior maximises both space and comfort and accommodates eight explorers and a captain. Once in commercial operations, Spaceship Neptune will set the record for the most people taken to the edge of space – one more than the NASA Space Shuttle mission STS-61-A.”
The company also stressed that, unlike rockets, their capsule travels out of this world in a much slower, gentler fashion, and uses technology that “NASA and other reputable entities” have used “more than a thousand times”.
It said: “Spaceship Neptune is lifted gently to space by our SpaceBalloon, which is propelled by renewable hydrogen at the gentle speed of 12 mph.”
On its booking form, the company suggests the type of occasions that might warrant a trip to space including friends and family reunions and corporate gatherings.
The trips to the edge of space will take a reported six hours.
Space Perspective’s co-chief executive officer, Jane Poynter, told Space.com: “We definitely have the world’s experts doing this.
“We are completely focused. We’re focused on getting commercial flight as efficiently and completely safely and quickly as we can.”
The Independent has reached out to Space Perspective for further information.