A Spanish company plans to offer flights into space to the general public this decade. For $164,000, a helium balloon can rise to a height of 35 kilometers.
Who doesn’t dream of seeing the world from above? This possibility is getting a little closer again. A Spanish start-up company wants to test its “spaceship” in the desert of Saudi Arabia under real conditions. This is not a rocket, but a helium balloon that is supposed to rise leisurely to a height of around 35 kilometers without acceleration or G-forces. The whole thing is said to have cost the “spacemen” around $164,000. For comparison: the space tourists who recently flew to the ISS paid 50 million euros for it. So a flight into the stratosphere is almost a bargain.
The prototype will reach a height of 32 km
The Madrid-based company HALO Space is planning the sixth test flight with its innovative helium capsule. The company’s second prototype will be used, which will reach a height of 32 kilometers above the earth’s surface.
The flight test will take place in Saudi Arabia and, if successful, could represent a significant advance in the suborbital tourism segment for the emerging company. The company has also announced plans for new locations in Saudi Arabia, the US, Australia and Spain.
Approval from the Saudi Arabian authorities is still pending
The test is scheduled to take place in June this year. Approval from the Saudi Arabian Commission for Communications, Space and Technology (CST), which is responsible for regulating space travel, is still pending.
“As the most technologically advanced space company in the industry, safety is our top priority. That’s why we thoroughly tested every system in our flight program,” says Carlos Mira, CEO of HALO Space.
“Our mission is to make space travel safer, more accessible and more affordable. This test will thoroughly validate the integrated operation of all critical systems and bring us one step closer to our goal,” he added.
It should start from 2026
During the test in Saudi Arabia, HALO Space wants to test all the technologies required for emission-free flight at the same time for the first time. If all goes well, this would be an important milestone, not only for the company itself, but for the entire space industry.
From 2026, the company plans to offer commercial flights with a starting price of $164,000. With this price, the company would be significantly cheaper than its competitors who also offer orbital or suborbital flights.
Video of testing with the HALO balloon
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10,000 people are expected to experience the overview effect by 2030
It is expected that 10,000 people will be sent into space within this decade to experience the overview effect. This phenomenon occurs when you see the blue halo around the curvature of the Earth. And they say this is a life-changing experience.
“Seeing the darkness of space against the blue marble is almost a religious experience,” says Mira. “I have spoken to several astronauts about the feeling of profound transformation when you see the overview effect. Everyone should have the chance to see our homeland from such a perspective,” he added.
