a capsule to travel to the gates of space
Present at the International Astronautical Congress, the companies Stratoflight and Expleo, based in Toulouse, unveiled their project for tourist trips to the gates of space aboard a capsule carried by a gigantic balloon. All with a panoramic view of the Earth’s surface, atmosphere and stars.
One small step for man. A big step for space tourism. Businesses stratoflight and Expedition, based in Toulouse, presented an extraordinary project during the 73rd edition of the International Astronautical Congress which took place from September 18 to 22 in Paris: that of travel to near space aboard a capsule equipped with a huge balloon, with an extravehicular exit on a balcony, in the stratosphere.
In the shoes of an astronaut
After passing a small medical test (like the one required for registration in a sports club), travelers will equip themselves with a real astronaut suit. They will then be invited to board a capsule eight meters long, four meters wide and three meters high, similar to the nose of an airplane. “Everything has been imagined to bring life an immersive experience passengers, who will slip into the skin of an astronaut for nearly five hours,” smiles Arnaud Longobardi, airline pilot behind the project.
Six people could be part of the trip, including two pilots. The latter will also be selected on the shutter: they will have to combine piloting and paragliding skills. As for the passengers, the the flights will be open to all. “But they will be more difficult for people suffering from asthma, diabetes or other pathologies requiring external interventions, since it is impossible to remove the suit in flight”, informs Benoit Courouble, aeronautical research manager at Expleo.
Ready for take-off, head to near space
Once each traveler is comfortably settled and secured in their seat, the capsule will be ready to take off. The ascent will be made thanks to a balloon of impressive dimensions : 120 meters in diameter for a capacity of 900,000 cubic meters.
The ascent will last more than two hours, until reaching an altitude of 35 kilometers. Here is the stratosphere. A unique place, which will offer travelers a wide view on the curved surface of the Earth, in a perimeter going from Barcelona to Amsterdam for a take-off from the center of France. “By looking up, passengers could see the atmosphere, but also part of space and its stars”, promises Benoît Courouble.
This spacewalk will be carried out on a kind of “balcony”. “It makes the program unique, compared to what is developed in France (ZephaltoMontpellier), or in the United States (perspective from spaceFlorida), where travel is done without wetsuits, inside pressurized cabins,” continues Benoît Courouble.
Return to earth thanks to a paragliding wing
Throughout the descent, travelers can still enjoy the view from their seats since the shuttle is equipped with large glass areas. The pilots will gradually deflate the balloon until they reach 8,000 meters in altitude. Then one mainsail, similar to that of a paragliderwill unfold to take over until the arrival on dry land.
The cost of the experiment should avoid the 300,000 euros. However, “we want offer some flights to passengers who cannot afford to afford such an experience”, adds Arnaud Longobardi. About a hundred trips will be scheduled each year, a large part of which will be for scientific research.
A project still in the trial phase
Stratoflight and Expleo are still only at the beginning of the project. “We are currently in the process to design a capsule prototype with which the first travel tests in near space will begin in 2023, empty, thanks to remote control”, specifies Arnaud Longobardi.
The process is quite long. Everything must be checked to ensure the safety of pilots and passengers alike, from the start of the first flights. “As with all aeronautical vehicles, the test phases are done slowly. Tests are first carried out on the ground, then higher and higher. This part of the program will last almost a year”, adds Benoît Courouble.
The first tourist flights aboard four different shuttles were to be realized in 2025. The objective being that the take-offs took place from French territory. But nothing is certain yet, since the majority of flights with balloons of this size are launched, for the time being, from the desert. The landing zone being easier to control. “To be allowed to fly near urban areas, we must first prove that we are able to fly to a defined airstrip “says Arnaud Longobardi.
Recyclable materials and hydrogen, for a “greener” tourism
” We received very good feedback at the International Astronautical Congress. We weren’t expecting such enthusiasm,” rejoices Arnaud Longobardi. “What pleases is the ‘green’ side of the project”, adds Benoît Courouble. Indeed, the ambition is toopen up space tourism to as many people as possiblebut not at the expense of the planet.
Thus, the choice fell on aluminum to design the exterior of the capsule. “A very easily recyclable metal,” says Benoît Courouble. Also, the interior design was imagined in bamboo fibers. In addition, the balloon is inflated without combustion, but with hydrogen propulsion which will be manufactured, the companies assure, “on the take-off site, with a local electricity production produced by wind turbines and solar panels. Balloons, developed several years ago by the CNES and used by the Nasa, can only fly once and will then be recycled. Attention, all the materials used are not recycled and recyclable. A question of safety, because the teams ensure that the structure of the device resists potential shocks during landing. But work is in progress, in particular to find solutions for recycling the carbon present in the capsule.