The new scheme will use an enormous helium balloon to tow a 4-ton capsule 30 km (100,000ft) above ground.
While technically only reaching the stratosphere, passengers will have an excellent view of Earth, its curvature, and the vast darkness of space.
According to the Paragon Space Development Corporation, designers of the World View program, those aboard the capsule will be treated to a two hour stay in the Earth’s upper atmosphere.
Unfortunately passengers won’t experience weightlessness, but the view should be more than enough to dispel any disappointment.
Although World Views still has many regulatory hurdles to overcome, the project should stay on schedule. This is because the flight plan isn’t too different from Felix Baumgartner’s Red Bull stunt last year.
When World View does receive approval, Paragon estimates flights will cost $75,000. If you consider that Virgin Galactic flights, which will allows passengers to experience weightlessness, will run $250,000, World View’s offer looks pretty good.
Regardless, the once sci-fi only industry of space tourism is quickly growing into a real world possibility.
Image and Video Courtesy of Paragon