Saudi Arabia will become the next launch site for Halo Space
In Saudi Arabia, innovations are developing at lightning speed. And now, soon, its residents may also become part of near-space tourism.
That's because the kingdom will become the next launch pad for Halo Space, a space tourism company. The test flight will take place in June of this year, as reported by travelandtourworld.com.
Halo Space is ready for a test flight of its second prototype of a full-size capsule at an altitude of 32 km above the Earth's surface. The sixth test flight will take place from the Kingdom in June. However, permission for this was granted with the conditional approval of the Commission for Communications, Space, and Technology, which is the Saudi government body responsible for regulating space activities.
According to Arabian Business, it became known that the mission of this company is to make space travel safer and more affordable. Commercial flights are planned to begin by 2026. Starting at $164,000, it will be only a fraction of the price of orbital and suborbital flights.
The company aims to take 10,000 people into space so they can experience the overview effect. This means that they will be able to see a blue halo around the curvature of the Earth's surface. The flight will last from 4 to 6 hours.
As for the operation of the prototype, it will be powered by a helium-fueled balloon with a gradual ascent. This means that anyone can get on board without any special training.
With a flight duration of 4 to 6 hours, this flight will include 1-2 hours at a maximum altitude of 35 km. This will allow spectators on the deck to see the Earth in 360° from much larger windows than in airplanes and rockets.
The plan is to operate year-round at four bases in the United States, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Spain. So, if this becomes a reality, the residents of the kingdom will soon have the opportunity to admire the beauty of the Earth from a bird's eye view.
Earlier, Travel Wise wrote that Saudi Arabia imposes restrictions on pilgrims during Ramadan.
