Space tourism is one of those activities that, despite all the effort, keeps slipping down the calendar without taking a definitive shape. Virgin Galactic seems to be very close to its commercial debut, but a certain pandemic managed to turn 2020 upside down. That doesn’t mean every plan has been put on hold. On the contrary: the design studio PriestmanGoode has just joined forces with Space Perspective to create Neptune, a combination of balloon and “space capsule” that will lift its passengers more than 30,000 meters to enjoy Earth from a fabulous position.
A quick search on YouTube shows us several enthusiasts placing cameras (and other objects) on weather balloons to reach great altitude and obtain striking images of Earth. We also can’t forget the famous jump of Felix Baumgartner in October 2012, covered by almost every media outlet in the world. But instead of throwing yourself from up there or waiting for the balloon to burst, why not stay a while? From a technical point of view, it’s still very far from the Kármán line; still, I think it would be extraordinary to experience something like that, as long as the safety and stability of the vehicle are guaranteed.
Neptune: A Balloon and a Capsule
With that in mind, we arrive at the design studio PriestmanGoode and the company Space Perspective, who are working together on the Neptune project. It’s a special balloon that can rise up to 100,000 feet (30,480 meters), connected to a capsule shaped like a spinning top with a maximum capacity of eight passengers. The total trip will last six hours: two hours for ascent, two hours at maximum altitude, allowing passengers to take photographs and capture video, and two more hours for a gentle descent. Once the ride is over, the passengers, the balloon, and the capsule are recovered by the ground team.
Transporting passengers is just one of several possibilities for Neptune. Its creators say it can also carry research equipment and assist in high‑altitude studies. Unfortunately, the basic features of the capsule remain a mystery. All we have so far are edited images and animations, but the first unmanned flight is scheduled for the early months of 2021, and Space Perspective is already accepting seat reservations.
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