Startups building balloons to hoist tourists 100k feet into the stratosphere
Startups Zephalto, Space Perspective, and World View are developing high-altitude balloon rides for tourists, offering unique Earth views. Tickets range $50,000-$184,000. Companies are optimistic about consumer interest in this market.
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Startups like Zephalto, Space Perspective, and World View are developing balloons to take tourists up to 100,000 feet into the stratosphere. These companies aim to offer a unique experience of viewing the Earth from a high altitude using pressurized capsules and massive gas-filled balloons. The rides will last around 6 hours, reaching heights of 15 to 19 miles above the Earth's surface. Unlike rocket-powered space tourism, passengers on these balloon rides will not experience weightlessness, making it a more comparable sensation to being on an airplane. Ticket prices range from $50,000 to $184,000 per seat, with companies like World View and Space Perspective already selling tickets. While Zephalto has conducted crewed tests, commercial service for these balloon rides is still in development. The companies are optimistic about consumer interest in this emerging market, with plans to offer a new perspective on space exploration for interested tourists.
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18 commentsIf this needs to be said, i think its not clear to everyone... being "in space" is not what causes weightlessness. "Falling" towards your local gravitational source does it. This includes orbiting.
That said this seems… dangerous. Giving me OceanGate vibes.
It would be an interesting new way to travel.
I'm glad there are multiple players in this space so they can compete and drive the cost down over time.
This suddenly makes paying for a 0g flight a steal.
This CEO of a balloon company doesn’t seem to understand how balloons work.
https://www.cnn.com/americas/live-news/titanic-missing-sub-o...
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