Space Perspective is a company in the newest branch of the aviation industry: space tourism. The company had unveiled its original Spaceship Neptune design in 2020, but has since released a new redesign in 2022 for the carbon neutral spacecraft. Spaceship Neptune is powered by the company’s “SpaceBalloon”, which lifts the ship into space, a technology previously used by NASA.
The spaceship carries 8 guests, and the company claims that redesigns will make passengers’ trips safer and more comfortable. New qualities from its redesign include a splash cone for safer landings to Earth, as well as a more spherical shaped lounge space.
Indulgent spacious interior
Space Perspective partnered with the London-based industrial design studio “Of My Imagination” for Spaceship Neptune’s newest interior. The interior includes a bar for patrons, as well as a restroom. With the spaceship’s total flight time being 6 hours, passenger comfort is non-negotiable. The spaceship’s newest spherical redesign will offer passengers more headspace as they sit in the lounge’s reclinable seats.
One of the luxury spacecraft’s major features is its 360-degree window view of space. No matter where passengers are in the lounge they’ll have an uninterrupted view into the universe. The ship even includes satellite imagery and 360-degree cameras, so passengers will have the ability to zoom in and out of space, and see the cosmos in even more detail.
Safety features
One of the most important features included in Spaceship Neptune’s redesign is its splash cone. The splash cone is essentially supposed to act as an anchor when the spaceship makes its reentry to Earth by landing in its designated body of water. NASA themselves have recommended the company add this to the spacecraft, stating that its the most low risk option for reentering Earth. Moreover, the company has added a thermal control system that’s patent pending in order to prevent the internal temperature of the craft from getting too hot for passengers.
The new spherical design of the capsule also adds to the safety of the journey as the shape offers increased pressure resistance. Spaceship Neptune also takes notes from astronauts by adding a reflective coating on the 360-degree windows like that of an astronaut helmet, helping to reduce solar gain to a safe level.
Spaceship Neptune takes flight
Spaceship Neptune is currently under construction at Space Perspective’s facility near the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Once construction is completed Spaceship Neptune will undergo a test flight with no people on board. Taber MacCallum, founder and CEO of the company, states that they expect “somewhere between 10 and 20” versions of the ship before the final, passenger ready version is finished.
Space Perspective is due to launch its first flight of the spaceship in 2024 and the company has already sold over 900 tickets. Tickets for the 6 hour flight to space are $125,000, and they’re currently accepting bookings for the year 2025. Space tourism is one of the newest and most captivating industries today, although it comes with a high price point. Perhaps one day, with more and more companies joining the industry, recreational space travel will become more accessible.
Source: Space Perspective
