Mercedes-Maybach is ready for the new activities that space travel will bring to the world of high-end cars. Space Perspective and Mercedes-Maybach are working to create the first carbon-neutral space-flying experience for high-net-worth individuals. Space Perspective will have a Mercedes-Maybach chauffeur, and the company may also help design the inside of the pressurized capsule they will ride in. The founders of Space Perspective, Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum, are both experienced workers in the aerospace business. Their goal was to make space travel cheaper and better for the environment. Their huge SpaceBalloon will lift their “Explorers” spaceship, also called “Spaceship Neptune,” to 100,000 feet. That is in the stratosphere, which is part of our atmosphere. It’s not in space. Still, it gives a beautiful view of the Earth’s surface and can fly much higher than any business plane. After two hours of climbing to 100,000 feet, each flight to the stratosphere will have two hours to rest and drink cocktails while taking the best view of Earth. The return trip will take two hours. Space Perspective says that the Spaceship Neptune can go on 140 visits yearly. Its cabin can hold eight people plus the driver. In the “Space Lounge” of the Spaceship Neptune, passengers will enjoy a 360-degree view, first-class meals, and specialty cocktails. This is precisely what you’d expect from a Maybach partnership, especially since each trip in a high balloon costs $125,000. Electric cars made by Mercedes-Maybach will take Space Perspective guests between the facilities, any planned events, and the launch site in Florida. Mercedes-Maybach hasn’t said it is involved in designing the inside of the capsule, but the two companies are “exploring design and hospitality integrations for Explorers’ end-to-end experiences.” Space Perspective will keep doing test flights without people on board for the rest of 2023. In 2024, they plan to start doing test flights with people on board. The business says it has over 1,650 registered Explorers and hopes to start getting paid by the end of 2024. If you want to go, make your ticket immediately since reservations are now being taken. Even though this is just another expensive event for wealthy people, it still sounds great. Eating and drinking while floating in Earth’s atmosphere sounds so cool. You can still see how the Earth curves and how dark space is from 100,000 feet up. I would buy a ticket right away if I were a tech billionaire.
