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Added 23 October, 2013

Launching in 2015: Space tourism gets another competitor

Several companies are now offering rocket rides to space, including Virgin Galactic and XCOR Aerospace. But these are relatively quick rides and the time in the stratosphere only lasts a few minutes. Now, a new space tourism company named World View is going into competition with the rocketeers. Their unique offering is that they are not taking tourists up by rocket ship, but with a balloon that will drift up to 19 miles, easily enough to experience the curvature of the Earth. Winds aside, the ride will be a smooth one, without engines to jostle passengers. It will take several hours to go up and down and the price is being set at USD $75,000, which is a fraction of the $250,000 fee charged by Virgin Galactic. While launching sites have not be set, the competition is clearly heating up for the next frontier in tourism. The balloon is a welcome alternative for those looking for a "softer" space experience and one that will further energize this exciting sector of the market. by svjetlankocijan
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