Main image via designboom + CNN
With the way that the world has been going on for over a year now, it’s no surprise that many of us are wishing they could escape the planet.
Though we may not be able to afford a multi-million ringgit stay on the first space hotel, there’s now a slightly… cheaper option off the planet that’ll only cost you RM519,000…
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RM519,000 may seem like a lot of money, but it’s a far cry from the RM20.3 million that you would need for a 3 ½ day stay at the space hotel.
Florida-based balloon company Space Perspective, is now taking reservations on its Spaceship Neptune for flights to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere in early 2024.
Though it may not be a trip out-of-space like you may think, the space tourism company plans to launch a balloon filled with hydrogen that will take travellers to an altitude of 100,000ft where they’ll be able to witness the incredible views of Earth through panoramic windows.
Each trip on the space balloon will be able to hold eight passengers and a pilot, and will cost $US125,000 (RM519,024) per individual.
However, according to the company, flights for 2024 have already been fully booked but flight for 2025 are now on sale – you’ll have to book your spot with a deposit of $US1000 (RM4,152) first.
On 18th June, the balloon company launched its first successful test flight from the Space Coast Spaceport in Florida, next door to NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre, where the uncrewed flight was able to reach a height of 108,409ft.
The journey took six hours and 39 minutes before the balloon splashed back down in the Gulf or Mexico.
Co-CEO Taber MacCallum shared that he “could not be more proud of the performance of the team and the flight system. It was spectacular to witness the teamwork and the high level of expertise yield such a successful result.”
“This test flight of Neptune One kicks off our extensive test flight campaign, which will be extremely robust because we can perform tests without a pilot, making Spaceship Neptune an extremely safe way to go to space,” he added.
"We’re committed to fundamentally changing the way people have access to space – both to perform much-needed research to benefit life on Earth and to affect how we view and connect with our planet,’ Space Perspective founder and co-CEO Jane Poynter said.
“It is an incredible privilege launching from the space coast, where the history of human spaceflight was forged over the past decades and continues to build momentum today. Flying on Spaceship Neptune will be an extraordinary experience for our Space Explorers,” Jane added.
Well, now this is definitely a more affordable trip to outer (kinda) space!
Though… ngl… it’s still gonna take us a few years to be able to afford it… But that view looks worth it to us!
Would you take a trip on the space balloon if you could? Let us know!
Info via UNILAD