Space Perspective has completed construction of its new marine spaceport, from where stratospheric balloons will take tourists to the edge of space. The Voyager vessel, which was named after the Voyager-1 interstellar probe mission, has been under construction for two years. It is the first ever spaceport to be located on open water and will be used for space balloon launches from Florida’s Space Coast.
Voyager is a 90 meter long vessel specially equipped for launching and returning space balloons. These sealed modules will provide six-hour expeditions to the edge of space for intrepid travelers.
Taber MacCallum, founder of Space Perspective, emphasizes that the ability to launch and return the Spaceship Neptune capsule on the open sea provides global scalability and enhances the safety of operations. The company prides itself in providing new spaceflight opportunities in the region.
The launch system includes special mechanisms that move the stratospheric balloons to a vertical position on a special 61-meter long platform. The use of a marine spaceport greatly reduces the environmental impact compared to typical balloon launches.
Space Perspective also reports that the Voyager vessel is equipped with additional generators, engines, flight control center and support equipment for the Spaceship Neptune capsule. This gives the vessel the ability to perform both launch and spacecraft return to Earth.
After traveling into space and returning back, the capsule carrying tourists will land on water, similar to SpaceX’s Dragon and Apollo capsules. After landing, the capsule will be stabilized by speedboats and then lifted aboard the Voyager vessel using a special 16-meter-long lifting frame.
Space Perspective claims to be the world’s first company to organize trips to the edge of space with a carbon-neutral approach. The company aims to make space travel more available and comfortable, allowing travelers to experience the beauty of space without the need for special training or experiencing weightlessness.
Earlier we reported on how competitor HALO Space also offered a balloon ride into space.
According to space.com
