Pack your bags, your best video gear, and at least $200K in cash, we're going to (the edge of) space! The space tourism race has kicked up in higher gear, with a new player officially entering it with a specific timeline for the maiden journey.
That player is EOS-X Space, which has announced plans for a 2025 maiden journey, which will also kickstart the program of daily flights out of Spain and UAE. EOS-X Space is not a new arrival to the scene, having made its intentions known as early as 2020, but it's "new" in the sense that it's just been able to get things moving in the right direction.
The startup is now in the midst of a multi-million dollar investment round led by FTI Capital Advisor, and has secured backing from the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) in the future development of the capsules that will be flying tourists to the edge of space and back to Earth again. As such, now's a good time to get familiarized with this new vacation proposal for the rich looking to experiment the Overview Effect in person.
EOS-X stands for "Edge Of Space Xperience," a most fitting name for a company that aims to democratize space tourism by allowing paying customers the chance to travel back and forth to the edge of space. If the idea rings a bell, it's because it's not new: there are at least three major companies competing for the honor of being the first to do just that.
Photo: EOS-X SPACE
Neither is the application of the idea new: you have a pressurized capsule that holds passengers and a pilot attached to a space balloon that takes it close to but not across the Karman Line, to a point where the curvature of the Earth is visible against "the blackness of space," before starting the descent back to terra firma.
EOS-X Space proposes a 5-hour journey: 2 hours for the ascent, which starts at sunrise, 2 hours to hover in place at the edge of space, and another hour for the descent back to a pre-established landing spot. The space balloon will be a helium one, and the capsule will offer an 8-person seating capacity, of whom one will always be a pilot.
Details on the capsule remain scarce as of the time of writing, but renders show a carbon-fiber aircraft not unlike the Spaceship Neptune from Space Perspective, which, as of the time of writing, is in a much more advanced development stage. The EOS-X capsule would also have floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views and presumably a luxurious interior that would warrant comparisons to a sort of space-flying lounge, complete with a bar and a restroom.
Photo: EOS-X SPACE
The plan is for the capsule to fly to an altitude of about 40,000 meters (131,234 feet), offering "an unparalleled experience." That would be the chance to experience the Overview Effect in person, which is also largely "responsible" for fueling this boom in space tourism adventures – that, and the desire to capitalize on new possibilities.
Coined by author Frank White in 1987, it refers to a cognitive shift experienced by astronauts when viewing Earth from space, which involves two consecutive steps: sadness and despair at realizing one's own insignificance in the grander scheme of things, and hope in the future, stemming from a better appreciation of life. It's the same kind of cognitive shift experienced after near-death experiences and consists of a reevaluation of priorities and values.
According to proponents of space tourism, including the likes of Jeff Bezos, whose Blue Origin hopes to go beyond the Karman Line, this kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience is the surest way of saving our planet, because it would make those living it have a better appreciation of what would be lost. EOS-X is saying the same, promising a rare opportunity to "disconnect to reconnect."
Photo: EOS-X SPACE
The startup is hoping that, once the first passenger flights take place in the third quarter of 2023, operations will enter a routine of daily flights out of Seville, in Spain, where the company is headquartered, and Abu Dhabi in UAE. Development of the capsule is underway in both countries, with EOS-X saying they're investing over $230 million in engineering the capsule prototype.
There's no timeline available other than the projected late 2025 date for passenger flights, but the company says that it's hoping test flights will take place "soon." Not to throw bad karma into the universe or negativity onto what's supposed to be a noble (and profitable) endeavor, but a late 2025 start date for first tourist flights seems highly optimistic considering EOS-X is only now starting work on the capsule prototype.
But if you're feeling highly optimistic today, it might be a good idea to start saving up. A ticket onboard the EOS-X space balloon will cost between €150,000 and €200,000, which is $161,000 to $215,000 at the current exchange rate. The Seville flights will include a stay at a luxury hotel and immersive experiences at the SpaceHub Complex in La Isla de la Cartuja.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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