Achi news desk-
The first person to experience what is now called the “overview effect” was the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, who became the first person to look at our planet from space just over 63 years ago.
Seeing that curvature for the first time, he exclaimed, “I see the Earth! It’s so beautiful!” He was the first of many astronauts to report feeling a cognitive shift about one’s place in the universe – an amazing sense of transcendent awe.
Three types of space tourism companies are now competing to open up this experience to the rich, the super rich and the super rich.
At the top of the heap, is Elon Musk’s SpaceX. For those with tens of millions to spare, it promises rocket ship trips to orbit, to the weightless wonder more than 300 kilometers (185 miles) above the Earth.
Then there are suborbital experiences, offered by the likes of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. The price tag for that is up to $450,000 and it takes you up to 80 to 120 kilometers to experience some zero gravity.
Finally, there are near-space adventures, where companies such as Space Perspective, World View and now Spanish startup HALO Space hope to bring passengers up on balloon flights some 25 to 40 kilometers above Earth for the price range relatively bargain from $50,000 to $200,000.
Commercial aviation in 2026
Last week in London, HALO Space CEO Carlos Mira unveiled the interior design for his Aurora space capsule, which his team hopes will carry 10,000 passengers into near space by 2030.
The pressurized capsule – designed by the legendary Frank Stephenson, car designer for Ferrari, Alpha Romeo and more – measures 5 meters (16.5 feet) wide and 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) high and will have suspended from a giant helium balloon. Eight passengers will be seated inside for journeys lasting up to six hours.
HALO Space said in the presentation that it offers “new, safe and zero-emission alternatives to space flights,” and having already completed five successful test flights, it is the most advanced company in its sector.
Founded only in 2021, it has the ambitious goal of starting to offer commercial flights in 2026, starting at $164,000 a pop.
Travelers will set off from the Earth camps before dawn. HALO Space via CNN Newsource
Mira explained that his team got off the ground by “using mature technologies” and not trying to reinvent the wheel.
“Building everything in-house is not the operating model we have,” he said. “The approach we have taken is to partner with the best aerospace players in the various fields,” including CT Engineering Group, Aciturri, GMV and TIFR.
Introducing the light, modern capsule design, Stephenson said, “It’s one thing to design a beautiful interior; it’s another thing to make it work.” There are “weight targets, safety targets, ergonomic targets” to meet, but his aim was to create “something you feel comfortable with from the start.”
A very special sunrise
The end users are, after all, well-heeled adventurers who no doubt fly first class on a daily basis and are used to luxury. Within a very limited space, comfortable seating, generous viewing windows, storage areas and, most importantly, a toilet cubicle had to be integrated.
“You must ensure that the passengers are constantly informed, entertained, relaxed,” while provision must also be made for the ability to eat, drink and socialize. That’s one of the benefits of the zero-gravity experience – you can move around normally and no special training is required.
The company is testing a full-size capsule prototype, with the next test flight confirmed for June. Mira says HALO Space plans to operate year-round from four continents, with locations chosen for their “excellent geographical and weather conditions.”
The drier and less windy the better, as strong winds and cloudy skies do little to offer travelers a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Flights will launch before dawn, so guests can experience a “white” sunrise at the edge of the stratosphere with the deep black of space beyond.
Is it worth the multi-thousand dollar price tag? That is up for debate. But it will definitely be a morning like no other.
