: Billionaire entrepreneur and Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson who nearly 40 years ago created history by becoming the first person to cross the Atlantic in a hot air balloon is set to fly again, this time co-piloting the world’s maiden crewed flight of a hydrogen “space balloon.” Branson will co-pilot the balloon titled ‘Spaceship Neptune’ operated by Florida-based space tourism company Space Perspective, which is set to take a group of eight people on a journey, that will go up 20 miles into Earth’s stratosphere, higher than where any commercial balloon has gone before. The US space strartup is touting the flight as the safest, most accessible, and first carbon-neutral human spaceflight experience.
Redefining the category of space travel, ours is the largest spaceflight capsule in existence, Space Perspective said. Passengers can “experience breathtaking views” on board the ‘spaceship balloon’, which is outfitted with creature comforts Wi-Fi, cocktails and fine dining, plush safety seating, luxury amenities, and even a proper restroom. The first commercial space flights are planned for 2025 and is priced at USD 125,000 per explorer.
The flight will last approximately six hours, from launch to landing. Spaceship Neptune will ascend for two hours, float at its apogee of 100,000 ft (30 km) for two hours, and descend gently over two more hours before splashdown in the ocean where a ship awaits as per Space Perspective. Explorers aboard Spaceship Nept.