On September 15, 2024, the fully operational test vehicle of Space Perspective, Starship Neptune-Excelsior, completed Development Flight 2 (DF2), reaching the cruise apogee of 30 km for the first time. The capsule lifted off from the Marine Spaceport (MS) Voyager near the coast of St. Petersburg, Florida, attached to the SpaceBalloon™, a near-zero emission stratostat lifted by renewable hydrogen.
Space Perspective tested various vehicle operations during the flight, from launch and ascent to capsule retrieval, evaluating several systems and confirming the vehicle’s safety, design, and performance.
“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 possible.”
— Jane Poynter, Founder of Space Perspective
Space Perspective has successfully completed a historic flight demonstration of Spaceship Neptune-Excelsior, the fully-operational test vehicle that will take Explorers to space. Around sunrise on Sunday, it launched from the deck of Marine Spaceport (MS) Voyager, propelled by… pic.twitter.com/6VJy5mhf1R
— Space Perspective (@SpacePerspectiv) September 17, 2024
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A stratospheric apogee with a taste of space
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) sets the limit of space, or Karman Line, at 100 km of altitude. For comparison, the U.S. Armed Forces define an astronaut as a human flying over 50 miles, approximately 80.5 km. For both definitions, the 30 km apogee reached by the Neptune capsule is well below those two conventional space limits, lying just in the middle of the stratosphere.
However, at that altitude, the black of space becomes visible, 99% of the atmosphere is below the vehicle, and it appears as a thin blue layer over the surface. This view is very similar to the one astronauts have in space looking back at the Earth, providing them with that unique sensation called the Overview Effect.
The feeling of this paradigm shift that happens when looking at the Earth hanging in the dark of space is what Space Perspective aims to deliver to its customers, combined with a comfortable environment inside the capsule lounge and a smooth trip without heavy g-forces. The 6-hour flight and the 360° panoramic view will complete the passenger experience that will provide a very close taste of being in space, even if not exactly there.
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A step ahead towards commercial flights
The data collected during the DF2 is crucial for developing a digital twin of the Space Perspective’s vehicle. This new technology will allow engineers to analyze every system used in the flight, including the capsule structure and environmental controls, to refine and ready the vehicle for future crewed missions.
The company has raised $100M from diverse investors to fulfill its mission of “bringing more humans to space than ever before,” aiming to lead the “space” tourism market.
There will be more test flights before the first crewed flight planned for 2025. Commercial flights should begin in 2026 with a seat sold for $125.000 and 1800 reservations already received.
