At a time when space tourism missions are multiplying, the company wants to enter the arena in 2024. More than 600 tickets have already been sold.

Large windows 1.5 meters high, padded seats, purple tones and subdued lighting... The atmosphere depicted in the illustrations presented contrasts with the space capsules of competitors, often white and sanitized.

Other characteristics of this new ship, baptized Neptune: the presence of a bar, wifi for live video, and a spectacular view... even from the toilets.

The trip, at $125,000 per person, is to take eight passengers (and a pilot) up to 30 km in altitude.

At this height, there is no weightlessness.

And it's much less than other space companies: 80 km for Virgin Galactic, 100 km for Blue Origin.

But this is still much higher than airliners (which fly about 10 km), and "above 99% of the atmosphere", argues Jane Poynter, the co-founder.

Above all, here, there is no need for training, nor to be ready to withstand a significant G-force when accelerating – the machine will only move at 20 km/h.

"We wanted to find a way to really change people's view of space travel," Jane Poynter told AFP.

"What balloons allow us to do is take people into space in a smooth, comfortable way."

The Space Perspective capsule will be hoisted up to 30km in altitude by a balloon the size of a football stadium - Space Perspective/AFP

Seat belts should only be fastened during the first and last 15 minutes.

The balloon, inflated with hydrogen and as big as a football stadium, will depart from Florida.

It will rise for two hours, remain as long at its peak, then begin a two-hour descent as well.

The capsule will land and be picked up by a ship.

The trip will be without greenhouse gas emissions -- one of the main criticisms of the space tourism sector --, argues the company.

Space Perspective plans 25 flights in the first year, all already booked.

Then to accelerate the pace and expand elsewhere in the world.

"There is so much demand that the market will only be limited by the industry's ability to meet that demand for years to come," says Jane Poynter.

The company has more than 50 employees and expects to exceed 100 by the end of the year.

© 2022 AFP