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Below you can read the news "A Spanish startup wants to challenge Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Virgin Galactic by taking tourists to the edge of space in balloons", published on Business Insider's website, in 10/17/2020.

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Brazilian Space 

 

A Spanish startup wants to challenge Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Virgin Galactic by taking tourists to the edge of space in balloons

Business Insider

 

By Marta Parchón Díaz and Qayyah Moynihan

October 17, 2020, 6:06 AM

Sustainability is a top priority for the company so helium will be used to float the capsules. (Credit: EOS-X Space)

From Virgin Galactic to Blue Origin and SpaceX, a number of aerospace businesses want to break into space tourism. But British and American companies aren't the only ones on the scene.

 

EOS-X Space, a Spanish startup, wants to take 10,000 people to the frontier of space within the next 10 years.

 

With EOS-X Space, the journeys won't be in rockets or ultrasonic planes. They'll instead take place in a pressurized capsule propelled by a balloon that will rise to an altitude of up to 40 kilometers, or nearly 25 miles.

 

This means space tourists won't have to wear a suit for the duration of the trip, nor will they have to do any physical preparation. Depending on the weather, each trip is set to last four or five hours.

"Companies like Blue Origin, Space X, and Virgin Galactic are offering high-altitude flights that only last a few minutes," EOS-X Space founder Kemel Kharbachi told Spanish outlet Europa Press. "We'll be allowing passengers to see the curvature of the planet in an unforgettable journey lasting hours.

 

"Each capsule will carry five passengers per flight and the company said each trip will last the same amount of time, so all trips are as smooth, bump-free, and as enjoyable as possible. The rough price for a ticket is between $150,000 and $200,000 per passenger, with the first commercial flight set to take place in 2023.

 

Sustainability is a top priority for the company, according to its website, so helium will be used to float the capsules. Although the balloon itself isn't reusable, the entire thing can be recycled when it lands.

 

EOS-X's founder is also the CEO of Palma de Mallorca-based Spanish tech hub Agora Next, which is aimed at startups in the tourism sector. The company hopes to have a presence across Europe, the US, the Middle East, and Asia.

"Our mission is for the space to become a new tourism industry in itself," Kharbachi said, according to Trends Today. "The fascination with space flight is universal and, as we develop technology and new infrastructure, there will be more opportunities for everyone to get involved. Democratization is at the heart of our business and is what will drive the new era of space tourism."

Source: Business Insider España