‘6-Hour Ride’: UAE Residents May Soon Get A Chance To Visit The Edge Of Space

Alifiya H Ujjainwala
Alifiya H Ujjainwala

A company in Dubai is going the extra mile; soon to offer residents a chance to view the Burj Khalifa from the edge of space. A vision is already under discussion, and the launch is expected to take place from Palm Island, considering it is one of the most iconic areas in the UAE. Roman Chiporukha, Co-Founder and CEO of SpaceVIP, shared that the company is optimistic about expanding to the region. “We’ve seen a lot of interest from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia. We plan to start operations here once we find the right partner,” he said, reports Khaleej Times.

SpaceVIP’s goal is to make space travel affordable and accessible. The company’s capsule which travels under a hydrogen balloon will reach the edge of space at 12 miles per hour. A few details about the pricing were revealed, with the six-hour journey estimated at approximately AED460,000. It was also mentioned that the ascent may take a minimum of two hours.

Michael Savage, CEO of the company, shared more details about the interiors, noting that passengers will spend two hours at the edge of space in a luxury capsule with large windows. They get a chance to enjoy meals, by the stunning views. To add to this, a restroom will also be available and the capsule will accommodate eight people and a captain.

So far, 1,800 tickets have been sold, with a backlog of 225 million tickets. The tickets are pulled by middle-class families, among the wealthy ones, all excited to experience this innovation. The company’s vision is to make space travel a reality for many and is now looking for the right local partners to bring this exciting new opportunity to the UAE.