Space tourism in a hot air balloon. How is this possible and how much does it cost?
Ideally, space tourism in a hot air balloon would look like this
In the future, people will no longer be able to brag to their friends about their trips to different countries of the world. The tourism industry is constantly developing, and in the next few years people will be able to travel to space. It should be noted that the term "space tourism" should not be understood as flights to distant planets. In the near future, aerospace companies will only be able to provide a beautiful view of the planet Earth from a height of up to 100 kilometers. But even this service will cost several thousand dollars per passenger, so the pleasure will not be cheap. Recently, the American company Space Perspective announced that in 2021 it will start selling tickets for flights around the Earth's orbit using a balloon. But how exactly will the flight be performed and how many thousands of dollars will it cost?
Into space in a hot air balloon
Ars Technica recently spoke about the grandiose plans of the space perspective. The organization is headquartered in Kennedy Space center, Florida. It recently raised a $ 7 million investment that will allow it to conduct a test flight of its Neptune spacecraft as early as 2021. Inside, there is space for one pilot and eight passengers, who can climb to an altitude of about 30 kilometers and spend about two hours there. The return trip will also take about two hours, so people can enjoy the views of our planet.
The balloon will be bigger than the ship with passengers
A balloon with the diameter of a football field will be used to raise it to a greater height. And the size of the ship "Neptune" will be 5 meters across. It is expected that the design will be able to take off at least once a week. In this case, only the balloon will be replaced. And the ship itself, most likely, will just be washed and checked for performance. After that, you can send a new group of people to tourism.
What is interesting about space tourism?
But it is worth noting that space promising services can be called space tourism only with a stretch. The Neptune spacecraft under development will only be able to climb to a height of 30 kilometers, that is, into the stratosphere. At this altitude, weather balloons usually fly, which are designed to study the stratosphere. And space begins at an altitude of 100 kilometers, outside the so-called"pocket line". Passengers of the ship "Neptune", of course, will be able to enjoy the beautiful view of our planet. But they won't be able to travel in zero gravity like Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin customers.
And finally, the question remains-how is the space perspective going to raise the ship to a height of 30 kilometers? From a technical point of view, this should not be a problem for her. The fact is that the company is not going to use something like a regular balloon, which can rise to a height of about 18 kilometers. Passengers will take to the air on a kind of stratostat-a device designed to fly into the stratosphere.
Time will tell whether the space perspective will be able to realize its plans. In the meantime, I suggest you read a little about when space tourism will reach Russia.
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Space tourism in a hot air balloon. How is this possible and how much does it cost?
Ideally, space tourism in a hot air balloon would look like this
In the future, people will no longer be able to brag to their friends about their trips to different countries of the world. The tourism industry is constantly developing, and in the next few years people will be able to travel to space. It should be noted that the term "space tourism" should not be understood as flights to distant planets. In the near future, aerospace companies will only be able to provide a beautiful view of the planet Earth from a height of up to 100 kilometers. But even this service will cost several thousand dollars per passenger, so the pleasure will not be cheap. Recently, the American company Space Perspective announced that in 2021 it will start selling tickets for flights around the Earth's orbit using a balloon. But how exactly will the flight be performed and how many thousands of dollars will it cost?
Into space in a hot air balloon
Ars Technica recently spoke about the grandiose plans of the space perspective. The organization is headquartered in Kennedy Space center, Florida. It recently raised a $ 7 million investment that will allow it to conduct a test flight of its Neptune spacecraft as early as 2021. Inside, there is space for one pilot and eight passengers, who can climb to an altitude of about 30 kilometers and spend about two hours there. The return trip will also take about two hours, so people can enjoy the views of our planet.
The balloon will be bigger than the ship with passengers
A balloon with the diameter of a football field will be used to raise it to a greater height. And the size of the ship "Neptune" will be 5 meters across. It is expected that the design will be able to take off at least once a week. In this case, only the balloon will be replaced. And the ship itself, most likely, will just be washed and checked for performance. After that, you can send a new group of people to tourism.
What is interesting about space tourism?
But it is worth noting that space promising services can be called space tourism only with a stretch. The Neptune spacecraft under development will only be able to climb to a height of 30 kilometers, that is, into the stratosphere. At this altitude, weather balloons usually fly, which are designed to study the stratosphere. And space begins at an altitude of 100 kilometers, outside the so-called"pocket line". Passengers of the ship "Neptune", of course, will be able to enjoy the beautiful view of our planet. But they won't be able to travel in zero gravity like Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin customers.
And finally, the question remains-how is the space perspective going to raise the ship to a height of 30 kilometers? From a technical point of view, this should not be a problem for her. The fact is that the company is not going to use something like a regular balloon, which can rise to a height of about 18 kilometers. Passengers will take to the air on a kind of stratostat-a device designed to fly into the stratosphere.
Time will tell whether the space perspective will be able to realize its plans. In the meantime, I suggest you read a little about when space tourism will reach Russia.
статья-Рамиса Ганиева