Space Perspective, the world’s first carbon-neutral spaceflight experience company, has unveiled the first images of its new test capsule. Jenny Southan reports

Space Perspective’s Spaceship Neptune comprises a pressurised, spherical capsule propelled by a giant SpaceBalloon that floats up to the stratosphere, offering a “safe and transformative” six-hour journey to the edge of space – at a “fraction of the cost” of other space travel options.

With no rockets, weightlessness, heavy G-forces, or training required, the experience is designed to be gentle on passengers. Now, the construction of its passenger capsule has been completed.Those who fly with Space Perspective, which is being regulated by the FAA and follows guidelines established by NASA and the US Coast Guard, will apparently enjoy a “world-class meal and cocktail service”.

They will also have onboard wifi, a toilet (dubbed the Space Spa, pictured below), and “unprecedented views of our planet through the largest windows ever flown to space”.

Now complete, the capsule will be flown as part of the company’s upcoming uncrewed test flights, which pave the way for crewed test flights later in 2024.

Space Perspective’s test capsule represents what the company will be flying once commercially operational – minus the luxurious interior, which it calls the Space Lounge. Data gathered during the upcoming uncrewed test flights will inform the development of a commercial-grade capsule.

Spaceship Neptune has been developed to be the “most accessible, most sustainable, and safest spacecraft on or above our planet”.

Featuring the largest windows ever flown to space, the spacecraft, which accommodates eight passengers and a captain, will offer space tourists the “quintessential astronaut experience of seeing Earth from the blackness of space”, says Space Perspective.Space Perspective is also nearing completion of its launch vessel, Marine Spaceport Voyager, which will soon arrive at its home port on the Space Coast to support test flight operations.

In 2021, Space Perspective successfully flew a capsule simulator to space under a SpaceBalloon; since then, its teams have been working on the design and manufacturing of the capsule to resume testing, which will include evaluating all corner cases and off-nominal scenarios to pass numerous safety gates.

A seat on Spaceship Neptune costs US$125,000 with a waitlist deposit starting at US$1,000. Additional options for seat deposits and flights are contingent upon availability within the desired flight year. With more than 1,650 tickets sold and increasing demand, the company expects to raise prices in 2024 as operations get underway.

Based on Florida’s Space Coast, Space Perspective was founded by human spaceflight veterans Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum, who met as original crew members in Biosphere 2.

They went on to launch Paragon Space Development Corporation, which develops tech for environmental control systems that can be found on the International Space Station (ISS). Space Perspective’s team more broadly has been instrumental in the development of every US human spacecraft for the past 40 years.

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Tim Peake, Britain’s longest-serving astronaut, forsees mankind landing on Mars by the end of the next decade. Jack Southan reports

Celebrated British Astronaut, Tim Peake, has publicly stated that there are “no insurmountable obstacles” in humanity’s path to stop us walking on the surface of Mars by the end of the next decade.

Peake, who ended a 14-year career with the European Space Agency earlier this year, remains a staunch supporter of human space exploration and states that the only thing holding humanity back from make the next steps in spaceflight is the need to “just get on and do it”, and that the need for private companies such as SpaceX are essential in making it happen.

Speaking at the launch day of his new Channel 5 series Tim Peake: Secrets of Our Universe he says; “There are no hurdles that are insurmountable in going to Mars, we just need to get on and do it. We know exactly how to get there, we know the orbital dynamics and we know how to land on the planet. I reckon we will be on Mars by the late 2030s.”

Last year, NASA decribed an ambitious plan for its first crewed flight destined to land on the surface of Mars, sending two astronauts to the Red planet for 30 days. Before this can happen, NASA seeks to reconquer the moon with its Artemis II mission, which is scheduled to begin in November 2024 and will be humanity’s first trip back to the moon since 1972.

The Artemis missions are reported to be the building blocks in the design, development and testing of new technologies which will be instrumental in taking humans to Mars.

Although NASA will be undertaking the missions, they will be heavily facilitated by Elon Musk’s private space company, SpaceX. Musk is well known to be an advocate of humanity’s need to become an interplanetary species and in fact plans to establish a permanent colony on Mars. He announced on X (formerly Twitter) last year that he believes the first mission to the planet could take off as early as 2029.

Tim Peake has been vocal on his belief that this synergy between public and private space travel is the future of how these missions can succeed, whether it is the moon or Mars: “We need these public private partnerships and, frankly, we cannot get to the moon without SpaceX, which is building the lunar lander,” he says.

Peake continues: “The commercial companies involved in this new era of space exploration are really important. I think you need to draw a line between space tourism versus the companies like SpaceX and Axiom Space which are actually at the forefront of scientific research and space exploration.

In November last year the European Space Agency selected two new astronauts to become part of these future missions. Rosemary Coogan, 32, from Brighton (and the UKs third-ever astronaut) and former British Paralympian John McFall. Both are currently in training and will soon be flying their first mission to the International Space Station.

“The next time we recruit astronauts for the European Space Agency, we’ll know that they will be going to Mars and that raises the question: ‘What kind of person do you need to select who is able to go on a three-year mission to Mars?” says Tim Peake.

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Japanese cosmetics company Cosmology has created specialised beauty products to address astronauts’ skincare needs in space. Olivia Palamountain reports

A collaboration between skincare brand Pola and All Nippon Airways (ANA Holdings), the Cosmology skincare products were created after the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) called for skincare solutions that could be used in the resource-scarce, low-gravity and extremely dry conditions of outer space.

The innovative line includes a face wash and lotion optimised for use on the International Space Station (ISS), developed based on feedback from astronauts about deteriorating skin conditions experienced in spaceflights.

Extended exposure in space can dry out and thin the skin, causing irritation, itchiness and accelerated ageing. The extremely low-moisture environment and microgravity take a toll on the skin, which acts as the body’s protective barrier.

Cosmology’s space skincare products tackles these issues with innovative formulations. The no-rinse face wash removes dirt without the need for water, which is rationed aboard space ships, while the lotion maintains a thick, gel-like texture that won’t scatter in zero gravity.

The products will debut on the ISS when they accompany JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui sometime in 2024.

These are not the first cosmetics to head to outer space. As reported by CNN, in 2021, former NASA astronaut Joan Higginbotham talked to InStyle about using Vaseline, Cetaphil, foundation, blush, mascara and lipstick during missions, while Estée Lauder has sent a skincare serum into outer space as part of a commercial partnership with the American space agency.

However, Cosmology is the first line specially formulated for the rigours of life in space, with the aims of improving astronauts’ quality of life and addressing common skincare concerns.

For anyone seeking astronaut-approved skincare without leaving Earth, mini versions of the Cosmology products will hit the shelves in October as the “Cosmology Space Crew Kit”.

The kit is set to launch in about 2,800 stores, including Pola shops and on its website, plus 12 domestic airport duty-free shops. ANA international in-flight sales are also in the pipeline.

Meanwhile, London-based 111Skin creating products for Earthlings that respond to the cosmetic damage caused by life at microgravity, reports Wallpaper.

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Heralding the dawn of democratic space tourism, Virgin Galactic safely took two competition winners on a record-breaking trip to the cosmos, as well as the company’s first paying ticketholder – and 80-year-old with Parkinson’s. Jenny Southan reports

After securing a place aboard a Virgin Galactic spaceflight, competition winners Keisha Schahaff (a health coach) and her daughter Anastatia Mayers (a student) of Antigua and Barbuda, flew to the edge of space (55 miles up).

Their journey took place on August 10, 2023, as Virgin Galactic’s Galactic 02 mission spacecraft lifted off from Spaceport America, in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.At 18 years of age, Mayers is the youngest person (by two weeks) ever to go to space. Schahaff and Mayers are also the first mother and daughter and the first people from the Caribbean to make the journey into the cosmos, and only the sixth and seventh black women to travel to space.

Before take-off, Schahaff said: “When I was two years old, just looking up to the skies, I thought, ‘How can I get there?’ But, being from the Caribbean, I didn’t see how something like this would be possible. The fact that I am here, the first to travel to space from Antigua, shows that space really is becoming more accessible.

“I know I will be changed by my experience, and I hope I will be able to share that energy and inspire the people around me – in my role as a life coach, a mother, and as an ambassador for our beautiful planet.” Upon her return, Schahaff said: “Antigua went to space! A childhood dream has come true. I’ve been to space and back with my daughter. We’re making history, and this is just beautiful. The pilots, everyone, they delivered exactly what they said it would be. And if anyone was wondering, Earth is round!”Mayers said: “I have no words. The only thought I had the entire time was wow, that’s how I can sum up the experience. Just wow.”

In a subsequent interview with BBC Newsbeat, she added: “It’s made me a lot more aware of the fact that we need to appreciate Earth and use this opportunity to really explore and find a connection with nature.” Of the ascent itself, she said: “It feels like you’re on like just a normal commercial flight, it was very peaceful.”

Schahaff and Mayers made the ascent with fellow crewmate, Jon Goodwin – a former 1972 Olympian who is now aged 80 and has Parkinson’s disease (neither of these factors counted against him). Goodwin was one the first people to buy a ticket when prices were US$200,000 (now they are US$450,000). Today, there are about 800 people on the waiting list.Goodwin said: “From becoming an Olympian to canoeing between the peaks of Annapurna, to winning a six day race in the Arctic Circle, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro (and cycling back down), I’ve always enjoyed rising to new challenges.

“When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2014, I was determined not to let it stand in the way of living life to the fullest. And now for me to go to space with Parkinson’s is completely magical. I hope this inspires all others facing adversity and shows them that challenges don’t have to inhibit or stop them from pursuing their dreams.”

The launch not only marked several historic space tourism milestones but also “stood as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human race”, and Virgin Galactic’s “mission of broadening access to space”.

Upon his return, Goodwin said: “That was by far the most awesome thing I’ve ever done in my life.” He is the third-oldest person to ever go into space.In a video for Virgin Galactic, astronaut Jamila Gilbert says: “The new space age means diversity, imagination and adventure all have a home in space. We have built a space line and now it’s time to go. This is revolutionary.”

Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic, says: “This flight highlights two of Virgin Galactic’s core aspirations – increasing access to space and inspiring people around the world. Each of these astronauts are role models and beacons of inspiration in their communities.

“Watching Keisha, Ana and Jon embark on this transformative experience helps demonstrate that space is now opening to a broader and more diverse population across the globe.”

Rachel Lyons, executive director for Space for Humanity, says: “Beholding Earth from the vantage point of space bestows upon astronauts an awe-inspiring perspective, referred to as The Overview Effect, that transcends boundaries and unites humanity.

“It is this transformative perspective that holds one of the keys to tackling our world’s most pressing challenges. At Space For Humanity, our purpose is to grant as many individuals as possible access to this life-altering viewpoint, not only for the betterment of our civilization’s future, but also to confront the urgent needs of our world today.

“This profound awareness underscores our collective responsibility to treat one another with greater kindness, and to safeguard and cherish our home planet— the irreplaceable cradle of our existence.”

Galactic 03, the company’s third commercial spaceflight is planned for September 2023.

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French engineered Céleste is an ultra-luxe silver space balloon that features chic neutral interiors, Michelin-starred in-flight meals and the largest panoramic windows on the market. Olivia Palamountain reports

Joining space balloons from likes of Japanese start-up Iwaya Giken, Stratoflight and Space Perspective is Céleste, a design-conscious capsule from Zephalto.

Billing itself as “the world’s first luxury space travel experience”, Céleste is the result of a collaboration between Paris-based architect and designer Joseph Dirand and Zephalto Founder, Vincent Farret d’Astiès.

Elegant and sculptural, Céleste is a beauty. She is finished in silver – a conscious choice so that the capsule reflects its environment in order to blend seamlessly with the surroundings – and features three wide-angle windows to usher in an endless panorama. “This silver finish allows the capsule to reflect these two universes towards which we will find ourselves in a way that is a little in between. Between these two universes, the terrestrial universe and the celestial universe,” says Joseph Dirand.

Inside the 20 sqm Céleste, expect soothing tones of understated beige for “a residential feel, one that envelopes passengers in comfort, luxury and security”, elevated with eco-conscious, innovative and performance driven materials.

Comprising three individual cabins, each conceived as intimate cocoons for two, with ambient lighting and adjustable furniture, guests will be able to lounge, dine and enjoy interactive and meditative elements in the capsule. A warm and convivial atmosphere extends throughout the experience: each traveller will receive tailor-made offerings, including Michelin-starred cuisine upon request, in collaboration with French chefs who will create exclusive dishes focused on molecular and experimental cuisine.

Meals will be served adjacent to the panoramic windows (the largest currently on the market), so guests need not miss a moment of the action or the chance to witness the Earth’s spectacular spherical curve.

The symmetrical composition of the capsule and gentle rotation during the flight, ensures a 360-degree view and a fully immersive experience. Wifi will also be available onboard.

The luxury pressurised capsule will depart from France and is lifted by a stratospheric balloon. Two pilots control the craft, which can accommodate up to six guests.

The ascent up to 25km from the Earth will take an hour and a half, with total flight time at six hours – including three hours at top altitude, some 15 km above airliners. The descent will last an hour and a half.

No physical or pre-flight training is needed from guests and the experience is accessible to all ages and physical conditions.

Set to launch in late 2024, a limited quantity of pre-reservation tickets can be purchased here at €120,000 per person.

The balloon, which is the size of the Sacré Coeur in Paris, has been crafted by the team at Zephalto using key innovative technologies, particularly a reusable envelope. (Globetrender can’t help but wonder if the recent tragedy of the OceanGate Titan submersible that went in search of the Titanic will put people off. After all, it proved billionaires can die too.)That said, safety is a key priority – the technology is based on Zephalto’s historical partner, the CNES, which has been sending balloons into the stratosphere for over 60 years. Additional partners include CNES and La Region Occitanie.

Vincent Farret d’Astiès, Zephalto founder and chief pilot, says: “I am thrilled to have built the bridge between my dream of space travel and reality. Those who share my desire to travel in harmony with the elements and sun & wind, can finally do so onboard Céleste.

“Our expert team has been working very hard to create a vessel that the Montgolfier brothers would have been proud of. After seven years of working on the approach, design and technical solutions, the concept is now palpable and will offer an extraordinarily immersive experience that will stage our Earth and Space.”

Above and beyond their leisure travel experience, Zephalto’s ambition has always included a scientific mission. Zephalto’s flights will pave the way for new services in the stratosphere, including data collection about Earth and the atmosphere, new experimental procedures and telecommunication systems.

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Virgin Galactic has announced the start of commercial spaceflight services for summer 2023, with monthly departures from autumn onwards. Jenny Southan reports

After a successful test mission in May 2023, Virgin Galactic announced the commencement of commercial spaceline operations, almost two years after Richard Branson personally made the ascent in summer 2021.

The first milestone commercial spaceflight, “Galactic 01”, is planned to fly between June 27 and June 30, 2023. The second commercial spaceflight, “Galactic 02”, will follow in early August 2023, with monthly spaceflights expected thereafter.

According to The Times, more than 1,500 people have reserved tickets – among them celebrities including actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks and Angelina Jolie, and the musician Lady Gaga. (Imagine what this will do for the image of the company if it successfully takes these public figures into space.)Virgin Galactic’s team and vehicles are ready to fly the company’s first customers to space, having successfully completed the Unity 25 spaceflight and subsequent routine analysis and vehicle inspections.

“Galactic 01”, a scientific research mission, will carry three crew members from the Italian Air Force and the National Research Council of Italy to conduct microgravity research. With scientific payloads on board, the spaceflight will showcase the value and power of the unique suborbital science lab that Virgin Galactic offers.

“Galactic 02”, which will bring Virgin Galactic’s unique experience to private astronauts, is planned for early August. Details regarding the crew and manifest for initial flights will be released in advance of each mission.Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic, says: “We are launching the first commercial spaceline for Earth with two dynamic products — our scientific research and private astronaut space missions. This next exciting chapter for Virgin Galactic has been driven by innovation, determination and a commitment to delivering an unparalleled and truly transformative customer experience.”

Livestreams for both “Galactic 01” and “Galactic 02” missions will be available to view on virgingalactic.com.

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From 2025, Zephalto will take intrepid gourmands to the edge of space in a dining capsule attached to a helium-filled balloon. Rose Dykins reports

Zephalto is taking bookings for an out-of-this-world dining experience coming in 2025, which will transport people up in capsule attached to a balloon for lunch in the stratosphere.

The French low-carbon balloon travel company promises to float up to six people at a time 15.5 miles above the surface of the earth for an unforgettable meal, which will cost £105,000 per head.

Diners will travel in a pressurised capsule carried by a balloon “the size of Sacré Coeur”. The vehicle will float upwards at a speed of 13 feet per second.

Vincent Farret d’Astiès, founder of Zephalto told Bloomberg: “We choose [15.5 miles] high because it’s the altitude where you are in the darkness of space, with 98 per cent of the atmosphere below you, so you can enjoy the curvature of the Earth in the blue line. You’re in the darkness of space, but without the zero gravity experience.”Taking off from Zephalto’s spaceport in France, guests will arrive a couple of days before take-off to enjoy exclusive events and to prepare  for the process.

On the day of the flight, passengers board the capsule and travel 15.5 miles above the earth’s surface, with the ascent lasting 90 minutes. They’ll spend three hours floating in the air before descending, and the whole experience will last six hours in total.

During the three-hour meal, diners will be treated to meals created by French chefs and guided wine tastings from an onboard sommelier. The interiors of the dining capsule are designed by Joseph Dirand, the creative mind behind Paris’s Loulou  and Monsieur Bleu restaurants, and the Balmain and Givenchy stores in the French capital.

Zephalto’s balloons are equipped with wifi, so passengers will be able to livestream their experience to their followers (though they might be too busy enjoying the incredible view of the earth from above).

The Overview Effect is the term for the extraordinary emotion astronauts have described when looking own on earth from space, an experience that gives an entire new perspective on the universe and our place within it.

Zephalto is committed to presenting a low-carbon alternative to space travel. Compared to a suborbital rocket-based flight that emits 4.5 tonnes of CO2 per passenger – which would increase the temperature of the Antarctica by 1 degree celcius after 1,000 flights – Zephalto’s balloons generate 26.6 kg of CO2 per trip, making it one of the least polluting means for travelling to the stratosphere.

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Japanese start-up Iwaya Giken is joining the race to space, with plans to launch commercial flights into the stratsosphere this autumn. Olivia Palamountain reports

Based in Sapporo in northern Japan, Iwaya Giken has been working on its space tourism project since 2012 but is now ready to showcase its efforts with a debut trip into the stratosphere later this year.

How will the flights work? The drum-shaped plastic cabin, which can carry a pilot and a passenger, measures 1.5 meters in diameter, and is complete with several large windows to display spectacular views.

Attached to this capsule is a helium balloon capable of rising up 25km into the stratosphere over a two-hour-long ascent.

While this altitude doesn’t qualify as outer space, it’s considerably higher than the level at which an aeroplane flies and will allow an unobstructed view of that all important curve of the earth.

After an hour spent floating around, the capsule will make a one-hour descent back to the balloon port in Hokkaido.

Not only can helium be largely reused, making this a more eco-friendly initiative, but the balloon will remain safely above Japanese airspace.

As reported by AP News, Iwaya Giken CEO Keisuke Iwaya is keen to “democratise space” and make it an affordable dream.

“It’s safe, economical and gentle for people,” Iwaya told reporters. “The idea is to make space tourism for everyone.”

At the outset, it’s expected that a flight would cost about 24 million yen (US$180,000), however Iwaya is hopeful that this figure will decrease to several million yen (tens of thousands of dollars) over time.

Applications for a space viewing ride will be open until the end of August 2023. The first five passengers selected will be announced in October, according to company officials, and flights will take place approximately a week apart, weather dependent.

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Space Perspective is investing in ships that will be converted into floating spaceports for the launch of its stratospheric balloon capsules. Jenny Southan reports

Space tourism company Space Perspective has unveiled MS Voyager – the world’s first marine spaceport for human spaceflight, and the first in a planned fleet of floating spaceports around the world.

The spaceports will be oceanic hubs for launching and receiving spacecraft. Now with the capacity to launch from marine-based sites around the world, in addition to taking off from land on Florida’s “space coast”, Space Perspective has become the first global space travel experience company to sell “safe and sustainable” journeys to the edge of space.

When it’s time to come back to Earth at the end of the journey in Spaceship Neptune’s pressurised balloon capsule, a patent-pending splash-cone at its base provides a smooth and gentle water landing. Fast boats from Fluid Watercraft will then arrive to stabilise the capsule, which will be lifted onto the marine spaceport.Marine spaceports create ideal launch pads in two ways: by navigating to areas of good weather, which allows for year-round operations within a region, and by moving with the sea breeze, so there is virtually no wind across the deck.

This enables more frequent launch opportunities, as well as more options for the time of day, including sunrise and sunset nighttime stargazing flights for every-day cosmonauts.

MS Voyager will begin operations early this year to coincide to Space Perspective’s planned test flights. So far, Space Perspective has sold over 1,000 tickets that each cost US$125,000.

MS Voyager and future Space Perspective marine spaceports will give the company the operational flexibility needed to grow its business more quickly to reach a supply-constrained global market for commercial space travel that analysts recently estimated could reach over US$8 billion by 2030.Jane Poynter, Space Perspective’s founder and co-CEO, says: “Space Perspective will change your relationship with our planet by providing the quintessential astronaut experience of viewing Earth from the blackness of space.

“It’s imperative for us to think about our business with a global mindset. Removing geographic borders for launch and landing accelerates our mission of making this transformative experience more accessible to the world and international marketplace – safely, reliably and with minimal impact on our planet.”

The company also says that plans are underway to integrate marine-based launches into marquee global events, and conversations are active with several potential destinations across the globe to offer passengers an awe-inspiring view of some of the world’s most iconic geography.

Poynter says: “We always imagined offering the opportunity to view the most incredible natural phenomena from space, including the Northern Lights, the boot of Italy, the sheer scale of the Nile Delta, and the deep blue seas around the Bahamas. Marine Spaceports like MS Voyager make this a reality.”Space Perspective’s founder, co-CEO and CTO, Taber MacCallum, adds: “This is another important milestone and a proud moment for the Space Perspective crew both in terms of pioneering engineering and the ability to scale our offer quickly, globally. We are grateful to our extended crew of dynamic, best-in-class operational partners.”

Acquired from one of the world’s premier shipbuilders, Edison Chouest Offshore, MS Voyager’s marine operations will be supported by Guice Offshore. The 89-metre-long vessel, which will call Port Canaveral its home, is now being outfitted for launch, retrieval and SpaceBalloon operations at Conrad Shipyard – preparations for which were provided by Gulf Ship.

In keeping with Space Perspective’s environmentally conscious ethos, offsets will be provided by Cool Effect, and the vessel itself is being retrofitted to use biofuel to reduce its carbon footprint.

Brandon Ross, general partner of LightShed Ventures, a major Space Perspective investor, says: “We’ve always believed in Space Perspective’s mission and the experience they are bringing to the world through human spaceflight. Unlocking the ability to scale globally with the addition of Marine Spaceports only strengthens the proposition and the power of the company to change people’s lives and the future of our planet.”

The name Voyager is an homage to the Voyager 1 Space Probe mission which, on astronomer Carl Sagan’s request, took a photo of Earth from across the solar system on February 14, 1990.

That photo, now known as the “Pale Blue Dot”, inspired Sagan’s book of the same name and his call for humans to “preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known” – words that reverberate through Space Perspective’s mission today.

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