The balloon that could take you to 'the edge of space' for $75,000 just got real

A company called World View is planning to float passengers to "the edge of space" — about 20 miles into the sky — via balloon by the end of 2016.

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And they've just announced that if you want to take a ride, you'll have to get yourself to Tucson.

In a statement, World View announced January 19 that Arizona's Pima County voted to go in on a public-private partnership with the company. Their brand new global headquarters will be based in Tucson, Arizona. All launches will lift off from the Spaceport Tucson launch pad.

WV in space
World View

While there is no real consensus on where exactly space begins, the International Astronautical Federation thinks it starts at the 100-kilometer mark — about 62 miles up. According to that definition, this 5-hour joy ride get you 1/3 of the way there.

It will also include cocktails, stunning views of the stars, the blackness of space, and the curvature of Earth, all for the hefty sum of $75,000 — about the price of a new entry-level Tesla.

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Here's a peek at what it'll be like to float at an altitude of 100,000 feet, above 99% of Earth's atmosphere.

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The World View campus will sit next to the Spaceport Tucson launch site, which will be Arizona's first space endeavor-devoted launch pad.

World view headquarters Tucson, Arizona
Artist's rendering of new World View headquarters in Tucson, Arizona. World View

After arriving at the launch site, six passengers and two crew members would climb aboard the fully-pressurized Winnebago-sized capsule, which contains a bathroom and a refreshment bar.

World View Capsule
The World View capsule will comfortably hold eight voyagers (six private passengers and two World View pilots.) World View

Source: Popular Science

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The capsule offers 360-degree views and internet access, so you can share photos in real-time.

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World View

A giant helium-filled polyethylene balloon will keep the cabin afloat. As the gas expands and decreases in density, the capsule will float into the air until it is fully inflated.

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World View
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Once the helium completely fills the balloon, the package stops ascending as it reaches its target altitude at about 100,000 feet. To put this into perspective, commercial jets fly at about 45,000 feet, and U2 spy planes speed at around 75,000 feet.

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World View

This ascent will take about 90 minutes.

World View
World View Voyagers will be transported to the edge of space via a luxuriously styled pressurized space capsule (rendering) World View
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Once at 100,000 feet, passengers will be able to enjoy stunning views of the stars.

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World View

And the black vastness of space.

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World View
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They will also be able to see the curvature of the Earth, which sometimes elicits a cognitive shift in awareness called the "overview effect."

Earth Curvature 100k feet
World View

Many astronauts report that seeing our planet from such a high perch makes everything happening on Earth seem tiny and insignificant. Passengers will get to enjoy this view for about 2 hours.

World View
World View will have Voyagers gliding peacefully along the edge of space for a two hour sailing like experience (rendering) World View
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As the capsule starts to descend, the balloon will separate at about 50,000 feet and a ParaWing will glide the capsule down to the landing site.

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World View

The balloon will float to the ground, where World View employees will collect and recycle it.

WV balloon
World View
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Once the capsule lands, a private jet will return the passengers to the launch site. Depending on the time of year, the distance between the launch and landing site could be anywhere from 0 to 300 miles.

WorldView_FlightProfile2
World View

According to World View, the aerospace community considers high-altitude ballooning to be dependable and safe.

world view testing
World View

Source: World View.

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And if that's not enough, the team also includes NASA scientists, including astronaut Mark Kelly, serving as director of flight crew operations, and former head of science at NASA and principal investigator of the New Horizons mission to Pluto, Alan Stern.

Alan Stern
Win McNamee/Getty Images

The major challenge for the company will be to pass rigorous feasibility and safety testing.

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World View
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They performed a successful test launch in the summer of 2014, lifting a much smaller, passenger-less version of the prototype to 120,000 feet and back down to 50,000 feet.

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World View

And they even broke a world record as the highest parafoil flight ever performed.

World View
The World View parafoil flying at an altitude of 50,000 ft. World View
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World View aims to finish full-scale testing by the end of 2016, at which point they expect to start flying passengers.

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World View

The company is still evaluating whether or not children will be able to fly. They are currently accepting reservations for children ages 10 and up, as long as they're accompanied by an adult.

The World View team prepares a 450 lb payload to be carried to 120,000 ft during scaled test flight. Credit World View, J. Martin Harris Photography
World View
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