First Space Lounge features Largest-ever Panoramic Windows to Be Flown to the Edge of Space – and There’s a Bar

 

The Space Lounge is a world away from the white, utilitarian environments you find in other spacecraft.

Space Perspective Unveils World’s First Space Lounge. Hospitality & Entertainment Entrepreneur David Grutman Joins Space Perspective as Experience Curator.

“The Space Lounge is a world away from the white, utilitarian environments you find in other spacecraft,” said Jane Poynter, founder, CEO and Chief Experience Officer of Space Perspective in a statement.

Space travel has never been more comfortable nor kind to the environment. Space Perspective, the Earth’s leading luxury spaceflight experience company, set on advancing a better appreciation of planet Earth and the interconnectedness of the human race, today reveals Spaceship Neptune’s customizable Space Lounge interior. The only carbon neutral, zero-emission way to space, Spaceship Neptune places safety, the thrilling views and interaction between Space Explorers front and center in its pioneering design, with sustainable materials embraced throughout – including a bar handcrafted using proprietary materials recycled from the unique SpaceBalloon connected to the capsule. The patented 360-degree panoramic windows (0.56 meters wide x 1.54 meters high) will be the largest-ever flown to space. Even the restroom will have a view.

Space Perspective is revolutionizing space tourism – and is a world away from rocket-fueled space endeavors. The elegant ascent in the climate-controlled, pressurized capsule, propelled by a state-of-the-art SpaceBalloon, enables passengers to safely glide for two hours at the edge of space absorbing the phenomenal beauty of Earth and vastness of space. Lift-off takes place at dawn so guests can soak up the sun rising as they climb 100,000 ft (20 mi/30 km). The gradual, two-hour descent to Earth gently concludes with a splash down in the ocean, where a ship retrieves the passengers, the capsule, and the SpaceBalloon. Every aspect of the interior has been designed to enhance the transformative views while elegantly ascending at a cruise speed of 12mph.

“Our mission is to inspire Space Explorers to connect more closely with our planet and each other, and the environment in which they travel with us is central to this. Our Space Lounge is a world away from the white, utilitarian environments you find in other spacecraft,” explains Jane Poynter, Founder, Co-CEO and Chief Experience Officer of Space Perspective.

Space Perspective also announces that hospitality and entertainment entrepreneur David Grutman is joining the company as Experience Curator – to advise on the end-to-end experience for the Space Explorer – from arrival at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, to in-flight and post-landing.

With a near 360-degree panoramic view which appears utterly seamless to the human eye and capsule layout established, the design team went to work on the detailed interior design, creating the elegant, safe and comfortable Space Lounge. As David Grutman knows well, every detail of a curated experience is important. Along with renders, Space Perspective is releasing an interactive video walk-through showing details of the Space Lounge, right down to the bespoke Neptune drink glasses and a specially created dessert.

The capsule also features:

Arced, deep, reclining seats, which maximize the ability for Space Explorers to enjoy both the vista and each other, can be reconfigured to accommodate a more intimate dinner for two or special event.

Lightweight, dark and tactile sustainable materials throughout its interior to reduce glare and reflection.

Food and beverage service capabilities, including a bar top handcrafted using pellets formed by re-purposing the pioneering recyclable material from Space Perspective’s SpaceBalloons.

The center of the capsule is kept free to ensure group photography (WiFi is also available in-flight) can easily be accommodated. Stretching out and walking around is also straightforward;

Customizable mood lighting including low red LED lights ensures Space Explorers will absorb the dramatic sights of witnessing dawn, planet Earth, and stars above in space – while easily navigating their way around the Space Lounge

A telescope and interactive screens – including an overhead ‘donut’ scrolling display to share key information as the journey unfolds.

Tasteful decorations including floor lamps, plants and herbs such as lavender, basil and rosemary which are used in food and drink prep. The plants remind us of the interconnected nature of our planet.

A luxurious restroom featuring huge windows too so Space Explorers never miss the incredible views.

“Our world class expert crew, who have been integral to all human SpaceBalloon flights in the last 50 years, trialled hundreds of layouts and we’ve secured a patent for our structural engineering, with two design patents pending. The quintessential spaceflight experience is a shared human experience and we’re super proud of this significant milestone as we move full steam ahead towards commercial flight,“ explained Taber MacCallum, Founder, Co-CEO and Chief Technology Officer.

“It is hard to overstate the importance of this design breakthrough, Space Perspective is setting the standard in space tourism,” added Poynter. “The welcoming comfort and calm of the exhilarating Space Lounge experience offers travelers the opportunity to take phenomenal pictures, be educated via our expert pilot and interactive content, enjoy once-in-a-lifetime dining experiences and of course simply soak up the 360 degree views. Our deliberate design process results in a configuration that enables individual contemplation of our extraordinary planet, while inviting a sense of shared experience between our Space Explorers that will create bonds lasting a lifetime. We are delighted to have David join to deliver the ultimate in customizable hospitality for our Space Explorers.”

Commercial flights are targeted to begin in late 2024, with 600 tickets sold to date. With the first year of seats completely reserved, Space Perspective is currently taking reservations for 2025 and beyond. Tickets are priced at a market-beating $125,000 per person, and bookings are made with a fully refundable deposit beginning at $1,000 (customers can also book and pay online via crypto – a first in the commercial space flight industry). Entire capsules are also available for reservations (up to eight guests and a pilot). Space Perspective’s human spaceflight launches are regulated by the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation.