Space Perspective's balloon-borne capsule won't have the gumdrop shape we're used to.
The exterior design of the pressurized capsule was unveiled today by the Florida-based company, which will begin carrying customers to the sky just two years from now. It turns out that the craft will be spherical.
A spherical shape maximizes the panoramic views afforded by the capsule's windows, which will be the largest ever to fly so high. The "splash cone" at its base is designed to make ocean landings easier and safer.
There are photos of the first space tourists.
RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU...
Taber MacCallum, Space Perspective's co-founder, co-CEO and chief technical officer, said in a statement that the team has created an amazingly robust, safe and elegant system for Spaceship Neptune. Safety is dependent on simplicity and automation.
Three months ago, Space Perspective showed off the inside of the capsule. There will be a restroom with a view and a "Space Lounge" with a telescope and interactive screens.
The capsule will be built at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Commercial flights of Spaceship Neptune, which can carry nine people, are expected to begin in the late 20th century.
The flights will take about six hours to complete. Passengers will be taken on a ride that will take them to a maximum altitude of 100,000 feet. Passengers won't experience weightlessness and spaceship Neptune won't reach space.
Nearly 900 people have purchased tickets to date, and a seat in the capsule is currently selling for $125,000.
World View, which is based in Arizona, plans to offer a similar experience for $50,000 per seat.
The balloon jaunts will be different from the rocket rides provided by Blue Origin. Blue Origin has not disclosed ticket prices for its New Shepard vehicle, but Virgin Galactic charges $450,000 per seat for a ride on its SpaceShip Two space plane.
A book about the search for alien life was written by Mike Wall. You can follow him on the social networking site. We encourage you to follow us on social media:
All Rights Reserved © 2024
