A Japanese company, Iwaya Giken, is offering tours for thrill-seekers who want to see Earth the way astronauts do. Adventure-seeking tourists will pay $180,000 for a few hours in a two-person capsule piloted beneath a balloon.
The airtight two-person capsule, measuring 1.5 meters wide and featuring multiple panoramic windows, will ascend to an altitude of 25 kilometers. While this is far from the boundary of outer space, it’s still high enough to see the curvature of Earth against the backdrop of the black sky.
The balloon carrying the capsule will launch from a port on Hokkaido Island. The ascent will take two hours. Travelers will not exit into open space; they will enjoy the cosmic views for an hour before returning to Earth.
The International Astronautical Federation defines the boundary of outer space as 100 kilometers above Earth.
A Trendy Adventure for Thrill-Seekers
The startup Iwaya Giken has been developing a project called “Open Universe” since 2012. During that time, the company has tested smaller balloons at lower altitudes, as reported by Science Alert.
Last month, Iwaya Giken began accepting applications from prospective travelers. The first five passengers will be selected in October, with the inaugural stratospheric tour scheduled for December, weather permitting.
CEO Keisuke Iwaya says the flights will be safe and open to the public. The company plans to bring down ticket prices for stratospheric travel over time. “The idea is to make space tourism available to everyone,” he says. Tourists will not need special training or to learn another language to communicate with the pilot.
Iwaya Giken has also announced it will sell the panoramic capsule for $735,000.
Space tourism—especially stratospheric trips—is gaining popularity. For instance, Arizona-based World View Enterprises is developing unmanned stratollites. World View plans to start carrying passengers next year for $50,000. Meanwhile, World View’s subsidiary, Space Perspective in Florida, is already selling tickets for stratospheric flights at $125,000, with trips slated to begin in 2025.
