The concept of space tourism is not entirely new. It might be in its infancy stage, but a mountain of companies are gearing up to send a future of humans to dine and travel among the stars. Zephalto, a French balloon company is now aiming to take passengers to the edge of space in a balloon for a fancy meal.
Dining At The Stratosphere
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By 2025, Zephalto aims to offer passengers the chance to travel to the stratosphere in a balloon. However, the experience won’t come cheap. The experience would replicate that of a Michelin-starred restaurant, starting at €120,000 (₹1,08,08,806) per person.
So, how do you travel above the earth’s surface? In a report by Bloomberg, Zephalto founder and aerospace engineer Vincent Farret d’Astiès told that the balloon will rise to 25 kilometres above the earth’s surface. The balloons will be filled with helium or hydrogen and once at peak altitude, which is about three times higher than for a commercial airliner, the balloon will stay for three hours, giving guests a chance to take in views.
While you’re there in the stratosphere, expect to have an experience that brings the best of French hospitality—fine food, wine and design. It is said that altogether, it will make for a six-hour round trip.
A Luxurious Experience
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Seeing Earth from above can be both challenging and serene. It could even be an emotional experience. According to Zephalto, space balloons offer a more serene, less risky form of tourism than rockets, and anyone can fly them without prior training; if you’re fit and can fly commercial airlines, you can fly this space balloon. Moreover, the balloon will land on the ground not in the sea, unlike its other counterparts of space tourism that use rockets for the same.
But, how would a guest have this experience? Zephalto has a blueprint ready. The onboard experience will be tailored to individual customer preferences, with particular attention paid to food. They are striving to offer Michelin-star quality cuisine to guests. Even, Wi-Fi is being planned to be made available so that one can share the experience with friends and family back on Earth, almost on time.
A French designer of Balmain and Givenchy stores in Paris as well as such chic restaurants as Loulou and Monsieur Bleu, named Joseph Dirand has been tapped to create the interiors and is known for his minimalist design style.
Head to the Zephalto website to lock down a seat!
Cover image credits: Website/Zephalto