A Japanese startup announced yesterday, plans to send ordinary passengers to space in an inflatable balloon carrying a space capsule.
Iwaya Giken says it has developed an airtight two-seater capsule and a balloon capable of rising to an altitude of 25 kilometers above the ground. The inflatable balloon carrying the capsule is expected to reduce the price of space travel and allow ordinary passengers to experience “space tourism”.
Iwaya Giken CEO Keisuke Iwamiya said passengers do not need to be billionaires, have intense training, or have the language skills needed to fly in a rocket.
“It’s safe, economical and gentle,” said Keisuke Iwaya. “The idea is for everyone to be able to travel to space.”
Iwaya Giken, based in Sapporo, northern Japan, has been advancing its manned space balloon project since 2012 and says it has now developed an airtight two-seat cabin and a balloon capable of rising to an altitude of 25 kilometers above the ground, giving passengers a clear view of the Earth’s curvature.
Although customers will only be able to ascend to the middle of the stratosphere and not to outer space, the balloons will be able to fly higher than jet airliners and provide an unobstructed view of outer space.
Iwaya Giken plans to partner with JTB, a major Japanese travel agency, when commercial travel is ready. Each customer will initially cost about 24 million yen for a single flight currently about 1.226 million CNY, but Keisuke Iwaya said he aims to eventually bring it down to a few million yen.
While Japanese private space companies are lagging behind the likes of SpaceX in the business, Keisuke Iwataya said his goal is to make it easier for people to get into space. The company’s first private trip is scheduled to lift off as early as later this year.
Iwaya Giken’s balloon, powered by reusable helium and capable of carrying a pilot and a passenger, is scheduled to take off from Hokkaido, Japan, spend two hours rising to an altitude of 25 kilometers, stay there for an hour and then descend to the ground for another hour.
Iwaya Giken said the cabin is 1.5 meters in diameter and has several large windows that allow views of space above or the Earth below.
The company on Tuesday launched an open application for a “space tourism” trip that will last until the end of August this year.
Iwaya Giken said the first five selected passengers will be announced in October. The company will make its first flight about a week later, if weather conditions are favorable.
