A Japanese startup has partnered with a travel agency in an attempt to make commercial space viewing flights more accessible.
In partnership with Japanese travel agency JTB Corp., Sapporo-based company Iwaya Giken unveiled its latest project on Tuesday, showcasing the airtight, two-seat cabin it will use for its planned space viewing flights.
気球に乗って高度25000mの成層圏に向かう旅行ツアーの募集が始まりました。
価格は1人2400万円程度を想定し、ことし12月以降の実施を目指します。https://t.co/0fexQgG44m#nhk_video pic.twitter.com/Flr2wLkvf2— NHKニュース (@nhk_news) February 21, 2023
The cabin is reportedly 1.5 meters (approximately 4.9 feet) in diameter and will use a helium-filled balloon instead of rockets. According to the Associated Press, passengers will be taken up to the stratosphere at an altitude of 25 kilometers (approximately 15.5 miles), where they can enjoy views of Earth’s curvature and outer space. It was noted that the commercial flight will not actually be in outer space; however, it will go higher than jet planes do.
Speaking to NHK, Iwaya Keisuke, the CEO of Iwaya Giken, said 2023 is a significant year for him as he is “aiming to get a gas balloon high enough to view outer space.”
“Other than astronauts, people have not had a way to see Earth and outer space at the same time. We want to make it affordable and, of course, safe,” Iwaya told the Japanese network.
According to NHK, Iwaya started the project by attaching a camera to a balloon that took pictures of outer space from an altitude of 30 kilometers (approximately 18.6 miles). This project then turned into a business plan, leading him to the idea that a “larger balloon would be able to carry people.”
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