Japanese Startup To Launch Commercial Space Viewing Balloon Flights To 'Democratise Space': Report

The company claims it has developed an airtight two-seat cabin and a balloon capable of rising up to an altitude of 25 kilometres. At that height, the curve of the Earth can be clearly viewed. 

A Japanese space development company called Iwaya Giken aims to launch commercial space viewing balloon flights to ensure everyone could experience space tourism, the firm announced on Tuesday, February 21, the Associated Press (AP) reported. The startup hopes that this will bring an otherwise 'astronomically expensive experience' down to Earth, an AP report said. 

According to the report, Keisuke Iwaya, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Iwaya Giken, said passengers need not be billionaires, and do not need to undergo intense training or have the language skills necessary to fly in a rocket. 

Quoting Iwaya, the report said their space flying balloon flight is safe, economical and gentle for people, and the idea is to make 'space tourism for everyone'. The CEO also said he wants to democratise space. He said his aim is to make space more reachable.  

What heights can the balloons reach?

Iwaya Giken is based in Sapporo in northern Japan, and has been working on the balloons since 2012. The company claims it has developed an airtight two-seat cabin and a balloon capable of rising up to an altitude of 25 kilometres. At that height, the curve of the Earth can be clearly viewed. 

The passengers will not be in outer space because the balloon only goes up to roughly the middle of the stratosphere. However, the passengers will be higher than the heights at which a jet plane flies and have an unobstructed view of outer space. 

According to the report, Iwaya Giken teamed up with major Japanese travel agency JTB Corporation, which has announced plans to collaborate on the space tourism project when the startup is ready for a commercial trip. 

How much will each trip cost?

The initial cost of the flight would be about 24 million yen, which is equivalent to about INR 1.5 crore. However, Iwaya has said that he aims to eventually bring the cost down to several million yen (tens of thousands of dollars). 

In April 2022, Axiom Space, NASA and SpaceX launched three businessmen and a trained astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom 1 mission. This was SpaceX's first private charter flight to the space station after two years of carrying astronauts to the orbital laboratory for NASA. 

How will the space viewing balloons work?

The Iwaya Giken vessel, unlike a rocket or a hot air balloon, will be lifted by helium. The company officials said the balloon can be largely reused, and the flights will safely stay above Japanese territory or airspace. According to the report, the firm aims to launch its first trip as early as late 2023. 

The Iwaya Giken balloon can carry a pilot and a passenger, and would take off from a balloon port in Hokkaido. The balloon will rise for two hours to as high as 25 kilometres, and stay there for one hour before a one-hour descent. The plastic cabin is shaped like a drum, has a diameter of 1.5 metres, and is equipped with several large windows to allow a view of space above or the Earth below, according to Iwaya Giken. 

The company opened applications for a space viewing ride on Tuesday and will continue through the end of August. The company officials said they will announce the first five passengers selected in October 2023. Also, the flights will be approximately a week apart, depending on the weather.