Space Perspective Reveals First Images of Spaceship Neptune's Completed Capsule Structure

Space Perspective Reveals First Images of Spaceship Neptune's Completed Capsule Structure

Space Perspective, the world's first carbon-neutral spaceflight experience company, unveiled the first images of its completed test capsule structure. The first to be designed for tourism flights under a SpaceBalloon, the spherical capsule, together with the reserve descent system and SpaceBalloon, make up the company's innovative spacecraft called Spaceship Neptune. The completed capsule will be flown as part of the company's upcoming uncrewed test flights, which pave the way for crewed test flights later next year.

 In 2021, Space Perspective successfully flew a capsule simulator to space under a Space Balloon; since then, its teams have been working on the design and manufacturing of the capsule to resume testing, which will include evaluating all corner cases and off-nominal scenarios to pass numerous safety gates. Space Perspective's test capsule is highly instrumented and represents what the company will be flying once commercially operational – minus the luxurious interior, which it calls the Space Lounge. Data gathered during the upcoming uncrewed test flights will inform the development of a commercial-grade capsule.

Spaceship Neptune was developed to be the most accessible, most sustainable, and safest spacecraft on or above our planet. Unlike all other spacecraft, where the crewed compartment separates from one flight system mid-flight and transfers to another flight system, Spaceship Neptune's capsule remains secured to the SpaceBalloon during the entire flight from liftoff to splashdown, creating a seamless and safe flight – at a fraction of the cost of other space travel options. Featuring the largest windows ever flown to space, the spacecraft, which accommodates eight Explorers and a Captain, will offer Explorers the quintessential astronaut experience of seeing Earth from the blackness of space.

Space Perspective is unique in that most of the manufacturing happens in-house, with the manufacturing for the capsule all done at its Melbourne, Fla. facility. All the component integration then happens at the company's capsule assembly facility located at Mission Control near Cape Canaveral. Designing and manufacturing a spherical capsule structure to provide panoramic views and to operate in so many different environments is a monumental achievement and a reflection of the integrated work happening between three of the company's Engineering teams, including Structures, led by Ryon Warren (former Boeing), Manufacturing, led by Vincent Bachet (former SpaceX), and Design, led by Dan Window (former Priestman Goode). 

This critical internal partnership is something that Taber MacCallum, human spaceflight veteran and Space Perspective Founder, Co-CEO and CTO, calls "one of the greatest iterative collaborations I have ever seen." Added MacCallum, "I'm incredibly proud of our Engineering team. The entire company is hugely motivated by reaching this milestone together and seeing Spaceship Neptune come to life before our eyes so spectacularly."

Earlier this year, the company officially opened its Seely SpaceBalloon Factory – a 700-foot-long, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located at the company's headquarters. Space Perspective is also nearing completion of its launch vessel, Marine Spaceport Voyager, which will soon arrive at its home port on the Space Coast to support test flight operations. A seat on Spaceship Neptune costs $125,000 with a waitlist deposit starting at $1,000. Additional options for seat deposits and flights are contingent upon availability within the desired flight year. With more than 1,650 tickets sold and increasing demand, the company expects to raise prices next year as operations get underway.

Click here to learn more about Space Perspective's Spaceship Neptune.


Publisher: SatNow
Tags:-  SatelliteLaunchGround

GNSS Constellations - A list of all GNSS satellites by constellations

beidou

Satellite NameOrbit Date
BeiDou-3 G4Geostationary Orbit (GEO)17 May, 2023
BeiDou-3 G2Geostationary Orbit (GEO)09 Mar, 2020
Compass-IGSO7Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)09 Feb, 2020
BeiDou-3 M19Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)16 Dec, 2019
BeiDou-3 M20Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)16 Dec, 2019
BeiDou-3 M21Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)23 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 M22Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)23 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 I3Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)04 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 M23Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)22 Sep, 2019
BeiDou-3 M24Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)22 Sep, 2019

galileo

Satellite NameOrbit Date
GSAT0223MEO - Near-Circular05 Dec, 2021
GSAT0224MEO - Near-Circular05 Dec, 2021
GSAT0219MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0220MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0221MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0222MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0215MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0216MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0217MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0218MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017

glonass

Satellite NameOrbit Date
Kosmos 2569--07 Aug, 2023
Kosmos 2564--28 Nov, 2022
Kosmos 2559--10 Oct, 2022
Kosmos 2557--07 Jul, 2022
Kosmos 2547--25 Oct, 2020
Kosmos 2545--16 Mar, 2020
Kosmos 2544--11 Dec, 2019
Kosmos 2534--27 May, 2019
Kosmos 2529--03 Nov, 2018
Kosmos 2527--16 Jun, 2018

gps

Satellite NameOrbit Date
Navstar 82Medium Earth Orbit19 Jan, 2023
Navstar 81Medium Earth Orbit17 Jun, 2021
Navstar 78Medium Earth Orbit22 Aug, 2019
Navstar 77Medium Earth Orbit23 Dec, 2018
Navstar 76Medium Earth Orbit05 Feb, 2016
Navstar 75Medium Earth Orbit31 Oct, 2015
Navstar 74Medium Earth Orbit15 Jul, 2015
Navstar 73Medium Earth Orbit25 Mar, 2015
Navstar 72Medium Earth Orbit29 Oct, 2014
Navstar 71Medium Earth Orbit02 Aug, 2014

irnss

Satellite NameOrbit Date
NVS-01Geostationary Orbit (GEO)29 May, 2023
IRNSS-1IInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)12 Apr, 2018
IRNSS-1HSub Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (Sub-GTO)31 Aug, 2017
IRNSS-1GGeostationary Orbit (GEO)28 Apr, 2016
IRNSS-1FGeostationary Orbit (GEO)10 Mar, 2016
IRNSS-1EGeosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)20 Jan, 2016
IRNSS-1DInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)28 Mar, 2015
IRNSS-1CGeostationary Orbit (GEO)16 Oct, 2014
IRNSS-1BInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)04 Apr, 2014
IRNSS-1AInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)01 Jul, 2013