The “Spaceship Neptune” – a spherical capsule currently being readied for spaceflight by Space Perspective, a new startup whose operations centre is actually located at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Propelled by a space balloon instead of rocket fuel, the ‘carbon neutral’ vessel has been designed in collaboration with London-based transportation design studio, OMI (@ofmyimagination).
Looking akin to an astronaut’s helmet on the outside, its passengers will be treated to unprecedented, 360-degree panoramic views via what are claimed to be the largest-ever, patented windows to reach the edge of space.
Each journey will last for six hours, with the final descent being made at sea, where a Space Perspective crew will be waiting to collect passengers, along with the capsule and balloon, via ship.
The first commercial flights are slated to start towards the end of 2024.
