U.S. billionaire Jared Issacman recently made headlines when he announced that’s he giving away three seats on a SpaceX rocket as part of a $200 million fundraising effort. This followed an announcement by SpaceX where three businessmen reportedly paid $55 million each for a trip to the International Space Station.
Well, if the odds aren’t with you in winning a seat and you don’t have $55 million to spare, then the Spanish company Zero 2 Infinity might be the space tourism option for you.
Founded in 2009, the company is working on the use of helium-filled balloons that will lift passengers 25 miles above the earth. At this height, passengers will be able to see the black emptiness of space, the roundness of the earth (for all you doubters), and its celestial blue color.
The catch is that you don’t actually enter space, which technically starts at about 50 miles above the earth.
Once the two-hour float is completed, the passenger capsule will detach from the helium balloon and land back on earth via a large parachute. In addition to a smaller price tag, Zero 2 Infinity touts the lack of noise and CO2 emissions created by the journey.
The company has carried out successful tests using humanoid robots and compartment prototypes and plans on completing final testing with flight professionals later this year. Once finalized, the trip is expected to take six hours total after lifting off from Southern Spain, and cost a more economical $130,000 per passenger.