World View’s Explorer Space Capsule will carry eight passengers and to crew to altitudes of about 30 kilometers, giving them high-altitude views of the Earth on flights lasting up to 12 hours. (Credit: World View)
Helium balloons are now officially competing with rockets in the space tourism industry. On Thursday, CEO of tech company World View, Ryan Hartman, gave Reuters an exclusive look into his balloon tourism company.
Hartman said travelers will be in a capsule attached to the balloons, which ascend to 100,000 feet. He noted most importantly the pressure inside the balloon is the same as outside, creating an extremely safe space for passengers.
Tickets will be offered for $50,000, which is quite a discount compared to other companies. The CEO said his view on space tourism differs drastically from his competitors, adding he wants the experience to be beautiful.
On October 4, we’re unveiling a way to feel closer to Earth than ever. pic.twitter.com/xjaHNoh3Dx
— World View (@WorldViewSpace) October 4, 2021
“So, in every aspect, our approach is very different and the thing that we don’t have on our experience is weightlessness and our opinion is that weightlessness is a distraction from what the actual experience is of viewing the curvature of the Earth, viewing it as a living organism, viewing the beauty of it,” said Hartman.
World View voyages are set to kick off by giving customers a unique experience seeing sights such as the Grand Canyon and the Great Wall of China in early 2024.
Source: One America News Network
