The flight on September
15 marks milestones in space tourism with first of their
kind innovations in marine spaceport technology, spacecraft design,
and flight safety
SPACE COAST, Fla.,
Sept. 17,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Space Perspective, the
world's first carbon-neutral spaceflight experience company, has
successfully completed a full flight profile of its uncrewed
Spaceship Neptune-Excelsior, the fully-operational test vehicle of
the spaceship that will take Explorers to space. The flight, which
launched from Marine Spaceport (MS) Voyager off the coast of
St. Petersburg, Florida on
September 15, 2024, is a
demonstration of the industry-defining spacecraft Space Perspective
has designed and built, and marks the next important benchmark on
the way to crewed test flights.
The full flight profile demonstration began with a precise
launch from MS Voyager, propelling Spaceship Neptune to an altitude
of approximately 100,000 feet—above 99% of Earth's atmosphere. Over
the course of the six-hour journey, the spacecraft reached its peak
altitude before performing a controlled descent and splashdown,
showcasing its full flight profile and validating key technological
advancements.
"Completing Development Flight 2 is a defining moment for Space
Perspective," said Taber MacCallum, Founder and CTO of Space
Perspective. "I'm so proud of our devoted team who has worked
relentlessly to execute this mission, drawing from their deep
expertise and designing solutions for never-been-seen technologies.
This uncrewed flight not only proves our pioneering technology but
also brings us a giant leap closer to making space accessible for
everyone and reaffirms our belief in the transformative power of
space travel."
With the successful completion of Development Flight 2, Space
Perspective has made significant advancements in several crucial
areas. Key highlights of the flight demonstration include:
- Launch and Ascent: Utilizing Space Perspective's
patented launch system aboard MS Voyager, the flight employed a
novel four-roller mechanism to raise the balloon, which has never
been done before. This innovative approach establishes a new
standard for marine spaceports, enabling year-round, global
spaceflight operations.
- Spaceship Neptune Capsule: The
spacecraft-maintained cabin pressure and stability at peak
altitude, confirming the safety, design and performance of the
largest spaceflight capsule ever flown, with the largest windows
ever flown. This achievement represents a significant leap in
spacecraft engineering.
- Thermal Management: The flight highlighted the
spacecraft's advanced thermal control system, effectively managing
extreme temperature variations from the frigid upper atmosphere to
intense solar heating, ensuring a comfortable environment inside
the capsule for future Explorers.
- SpaceBalloon™ Performance: The flight demonstrated
the successful use of hydrogen lift gas with the SpaceBalloon™
manufactured in house by Space Perspective, allowing the spacecraft
to ascend to edge of space altitudes and descend safely, proving
the viability of renewable lift gases.
- Mission Control and Retrieval: Managed from Mission
Control, the flight validated proprietary software and
communication systems. The retrieval process, involving a fast boat
and crane, was executed seamlessly, facilitating a thorough
post-flight inspection.
Jane Poynter, Founder of Space
Perspective, added: "This flight successfully demonstrated the
extraordinary accessibility of Spaceship Neptune's spaceflight
experience with its gentle ascent, descent and splashdown, a
critical step in opening space up to more people than ever before
possible.
Our advances in marine spaceport technology, spacecraft design,
and flight safety are setting truly new standards for the future of
space exploration."
The data collected from Development Flight 2 will be
instrumental in refining Space Perspective's digital twin
technology. This technology will aid engineers in analyzing
spacecraft systems, including the capsule structure and thermal
control, and guide the development of future spacecraft designs.
Data gathered from this flight demonstration will pave the way for
the development of crewed test flights.
Space Perspective has raised $100M
to date and is funded by a diverse portfolio of investors led by
investment group, Prime Movers Lab, and other notable venture
capital funds like LightShed Partners, E2MC, Base, Green Sands
Equity, Kirenaga, and SpaceFund. With a mission to bring more
humans to space than ever before, it aims to lead the market for
commercial space travel by starting human flights in 2025, with
commercial operations in 2026. A seat aboard Spaceship Neptune
costs $125,000. 1,800+ tickets have
been sold to date.
For more information about Space Perspective or to book a seat,
please visit www.spaceperspective.com or contact
fly@spaceperspective.com.
About Space Perspective
Space Perspective, the world's first carbon-neutral spaceflight
experience company, is on a mission to make space travel more
accessible than ever before. Its innovative Spaceship Neptune,
which comprises a pressurized capsule propelled by a giant
SpaceBalloon™, offers a safe and transformative six-hour journey to
the edge of space.
With no rockets, weightlessness, heavy g-forces, or training
required, the experience is designed to be as gentle on Explorers
as it is on the Earth. Those who fly with Space Perspective, which
is being regulated by the FAA as well as the U.S. Coast Guard and
follows guidelines established by NASA, enjoy a world-class meal
and cocktail service, Wi-Fi, unprecedented views through the
largest windows ever flown to space, and a proper restroom, which
it calls the Space Spa – all from the comforts of the world's first
Space Lounge.
Based on Florida's Space Coast,
Space Perspective was founded by human spaceflight veterans
Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum,
who met as original crew members in Biosphere 2. They went on to
launch Paragon Space Development Corporation, which develops tech
for environmental control systems that can be found on the
International Space Station (ISS). Space Perspective's team more
broadly has been instrumental in the development of every U.S.
human spacecraft for the past 40 years.
Website | Brand Spot | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
| LinkedIn | Assets
For more information, please contact:
Nikki Riedmiller
Shamin Abas Communications & Experiential Marketing for the
World's Finest Brands
+1(818)264-9377
nikki@shaminabas.com
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/space-perspective-successfully-completes-historic-uncrewed-development-flight-2-of-spaceship-neptune-302250477.html
SOURCE Space Perspective