Watch This Amazing World View Test Flight for Balloon-Based Space Tourism
World View Enterprises successfully completed a high-altitude balloon test flight, which reached an altitude of 100,475 feet, where the balloon lifted a 10-percent-scale version of its passenger capsule. The flight demonstrated the capabilities of the company's that World View's system can lift off gently, successfully transition from balloon floating to aerodynamic parafoil flight at high altitudes, and descend and land smoothly, company representatives said.
World View's vision calls for lofting six passengers to an altitude of 100,000 feet (30,500 m) in a pressurized capsule that features a bar, a bathroom and other amenities. World View customers (who will each pay $75,000) will cruise at such heights for 90 minutes to two hours, taking in the blackness of space and the curvature of the Earth.
The capsule will then detach from the balloon and fly back down to Earth with the aid of a parafoil, a parachute-like device. The entire trip will take 5 to 6 hours from liftoff to landing, company representatives said.
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