Dubai: Tourists in Saudi Arabia will be able to book trips to the earth’s stratosphere in 2026.
A trip to the second layer of earth’s atmosphere will cost $164,000 (Dh602,000) per person.
Halo space company, a Madrid based company founded in 2021 that provides trips to outer space, has chosen the Kingdom to be one of its departure places and is planning a test flight in June.
This will be Halo space’s sixth test and its second prototype 32km above earth’s surface.
Halo Space has received conditional approval from the Saudi regulator, the Communications, Space & Technology Commission, for its test flight.
The spacecraft in question is an aerospace balloon equipped with a pressurized capsule capable of accommodating eight passengers and a pilot. This capsule will feature panoramic windows, providing passengers with a stunning 360-degree view of Earth.
Halo space has a target to start commercial flights in 2026 and to operate 400 commercial flights a year starting 2029.
The flight would be approximately four to six hours with one to two hours of maximum altitude and with clear vision of the earth’s blue curvature.
“Because the helium balloon-powered ascent is gradual, there is no heavy acceleration or G-forces, meaning nearly anyone can board a Halo flight without the need for special training,” the company said in a statement.
