magine enjoying panoramic views 100,000 feet above Earth and stargazing while enjoying a cocktail. This might seem light years away from being a possibility, but one space tourism company is planning on making it happen by 2024.
One of the leading innovations in travel merged with technology is space tourism which is becoming more prevalent with successful suborbital missions with Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and SpaceX. The first successful missions were simple suborbital journeys, but the bar is being raised to create a true tourism experience including a cocktail bar that is out of this world.
A developing space tourism company, Space Perspective, is creating a new experience where guests can float rather than launch to 100,000 feet above Earth in a massive balloon-shaped pressurized capsule. The popular concept of space tourism involves a rapid launch compared to Space Perspective’s vision which is a gentler journey floating above the Earth featuring spectacular views and amenities.
The pressurized capsule is roughly the size of a football stadium for plenty of room for passengers to enjoy the panoramic views with amenities including a cocktail bar. The experience can be compared to an airline flight with beverage service and an onboard bathroom that is rare for space vessels.
The creative minds at Space Perspective wanted to create a truly unique space tourism journey with stunning views above Earth and the best stargazing experience possible. This space journey has a competitive edge over the competition but comes at a high price of $125,000 per seat including are fundable $1,000 deposit.
This might seem like a high-priced trip but is a fraction of the price compared to the competition with Virgin Galactic charging $450,000 for their space voyage 262,000 feet above the Earth. As space tourism is a new and developing industry, taking a journey can cost up to six figures and will require some time for the expense to come down as it becomes more mainstream.
This new industry can be compared to other emerging technology industries like computers which started as a small market with high prices but is now a dominating market with wide accessibility worldwide. The success of mainstreaming the computer industry required many decades to achieve but follows the natural path of emerging industries similar to space tourism.
Though it will take some time to make space tourism more accessible, Space Perspective seems to be on track to make it possible with the first piloted test flight planned for 2023 and start offering initial commercial voyages by 2024.
