Travel to the edge of space in a balloon for price of S$222000 - TODAY

Iwaya says it will be able to achieve an even greater altitude with a larger balloon.

“We have had all our technologies verified for a balloon and a cabin capable of achieving a height of 25km,” a company executive said.

Iwaya was founded in April 2016 by Mr Keisuke Iwaya, 37, who studied aerospace engineering at Hokkaido University with the goal of making “near-space tourism by balloon” a reality.

More than 35 of the company’s employees have flown aboard the craft for flight training and data collection.

While outer space is generally considered to be at an altitude exceeding 100km, the “spectacle of the blue Earth” can be observed from the stratosphere at 25km altitude, the company said.

Iwaya has already begun accepting applications from the public for high-altitude tours. It is planning to conduct its first commercial flight by March 2024.

Although a four-hour ride will cost 24 million yen (S$222,000) per passenger, the company says it has received applications beyond its expectations.

Successful applicants are likely to be announced in early October and to receive an orientation in November and December.

While space travel is generally the preserve of the super-rich, Iwaya hopes that if its project proves successful, more people will be able to see the Earth from above at a much lower price than rocket-based space travel.

The company has joined hands with travel agencies as part of its efforts to “reduce the cost to around 1 million yen in the future”, Mr Iwaya said.

The company will first aim to achieve a manned flight up to an altitude of 12km before trying to reach its ultimate 25km goal later this year.

The start-up is eager to “ popularise space travel” while prioritising safety above anything else, he added. SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

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