A new startup is offering the trip of a lifetime for anyone that has $50-grand to spend. World View plans to use a helium balloon to take passengers 100-thousand feet above the surface of the earth and plans to start launching from the Grand Canyon in 2024.
As for the trip itself, passengers won't be strapped into a seat - though a concierge will be on board to see to their needs. Those taking the ride will be able to move about the cabin. The capsule and its interior are being designed now and will have a five-foot-wide window. While the company’s plans won’t technically get you to space, you’ll still be high enough to see the curvature of the Earth during the eight-hour trip.
“We love aviation and light…but this takes it to another level," says design director Daniel Macinnes. "You look at the window [out of a plane] at 30,000k feet and it’s nice but it’s a really restricted view. What we’re trying to do is to make sure everyone is just totally blown away... You’ll hopefully be gobsmacked when you look out.”
Source: Fast Company