Space ‘balloon’ prepares for first test flight – Space

“Space balloon” targets tourists Preparing for its first test flightStarting in Saudi Arabia in September.

The Spanish company Halo Space built this vehicle with the aim of making flights in the stratosphere, without any emissions. The ticket costs around 150,000 euros.

On each flight, Halo plans to accommodate eight passengers and a pilot. The ship will then rise to an altitude of 35 kilometers. From there, tourists will enjoy a stunning view of the planet and the space around it.

But before that vision becomes a reality, Halo will be called upon to prove that its ship is safe. The test flight, which will launch from Saudi Arabia, aims to confirm existing data showing that the vehicle is indeed capable of such trips.

If all goes well, the craft, called Aurora, will reach an altitude of 30 kilometers above Earth. Throughout the test flight, Halo will monitor how the technology inside the space “balloon” performs.

“This mission was carefully planned to confirm the reliability of all the vital systems we have developed over the past three years,” said Alberto Castillo, the company’s technical director.

The space balloon is already in the hangar that will host it in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia has been a key partner of Halo throughout this time. The country plans to become a world leader in near-space exploration, and to that end has provided significant support in this area.

For its part, Halo gladly accepted this assistance. The Spanish company established its main operational base as well as final assembly facilities in Saudi Arabia.

At the same time, the company worked closely with the regulatory authorities in Saudi Arabia, namely the Communications and Space Technology Commission (CST).

Both CST and Halo are committed to making safety a top priority during the test flight.

If the mission is successful, the first astronauts will soon be able to buy their tickets. Halo plans to make its first crewed flights in 2025. Commercial flights will follow a year later in 2026.