Space capsules are typically tight spaces filled with flashing screens, unnecessary systems, and plenty of space for astronauts. Space Perspective’s newly arrived Neptune capsule resembles a lounge or club, with custom chairs, a bar and large windows to take in the view.
The space balloon tourism company, which plans to make its first crewed flight later this year, is moving from concept to reality with a 16-foot diameter sphere with an internal volume of 2,000 cubic feet. The Florida-based company calls the new capsule the “largest manned space launch vehicle in operation”, saying it is about twice the size of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo and Blue Origin’s New Shepard, and about the size of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. is four times.
The mission profile of the Space Perspective capsule is very different from that of other rocket vehicles. It will compete with Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin on their trips to the edge of space, although its altitude limit of 100,000 feet is much lower than the other two, reaching 264,000 feet at hypersonic speeds. The giant spaceball’s propulsion system rises and falls at a speed of about 12 miles per hour during its nearly six-hour flight. Two other competitors, Zefalto and World View, are developing similar balloon/pod tourism concepts.
Space Perspective’s journey from concept to working prototype of the capsule, which will be used to test equipment rather than carry people, has included thousands of calculations, the building of an in-house composite manufacturing facility and an interior that Creating something that will be aesthetically pleasing to passengers. , high level. end user, but could also suffer the impact of a capsule falling into the ocean.
“We created 40 to 50 interior mockups and 100 layouts,” says Tabor McCallum, who founded Space Perspective with his wife, Jane Poynter, in 2019. “One of the hardest parts was the geometry of the floor. When the ball is under pressure, it wants to expand a little, but when we go through the tropopause, where the temperature is -80 degrees Celsius, it wants to shrink and Then rise again to the edge of space.” The hottest.
McCallum said the floor needs to withstand the shock of landing on water as well as the shock of participants dancing, drinking cocktails and celebrating the curvature of the Earth at that altitude.
The geometry of the windows also presented a challenge, partly to ensure that participants could see clearly in the bright sunlight at the edge of the space, but also to ensure that they had a vantage point to take in the views. Gather together. “At first we thought they all needed their own windows, but then we realized it was about interacting with each other, so we arranged the seating in two semicircles,” he says.
The capsule will undergo ground testing over the next four to six weeks and then begin its first test flight simulating altitudes and conditions similar to future commercial flights. The flights involve lifting MS Voyager from the water, which will also serve as a launch pad with a 42-person mission control center. McCallum says, “The capsule will have large racks for equipment, as well as temperature and load monitors, so it’s well connected and connected to computers that will be located where guests would normally sit.” “
After modifications, the next test capsule, with luxurious interior, will be dedicated to human testing before the first commercial flights. McCallum did not want to give a specific timetable, but it could happen in 2025. He says, ”This will happen when we prove that it is safe for commercial flights.”
The startup plans to eventually operate several flights a week along the Florida coast from its headquarters in Cape Canaveral, and also open facilities in other parts of the world.
In July, the company said it sold more than 1,600 seats, representing sales of approximately $200 million. In a statement today, Space Perspective said it has completed its current round of investment efforts. A company spokesperson said, “All existing investors have shown great enthusiasm for the company and have reinvested.”
