3.3.2 Space Perspective’s Neptune
Section 5.3 discusses the business proposal of Space Perspective. Here we shall
only discuss their concept for a gondola or, as they call it, a capsule.
The capsule was designed in collaboration with the UK studio PriestmanGoode,
which is also working on a passenger module concept for Elon Musk’s transport
system known as Hyperloop. The 5 m (16 ft) diameter capsule is supported by a
polyethylene balloon 100 m (328 ft) in diameter when fully inflated. It uses the
same technology NASA has used for scientific stratospheric balloons for many
decades. It will be inflated using hydrogen, because helium is much rarer, more
costly and has other uses; including medical.
Nigel Goode, designer and co-founder of PriestmanGoode, describes a longtime working partnership with the Space Perspective team. Their “Neptune” capsule is the culmination of a long-term collaboration that has resulted in the only
Fig. 3.5 The Deep Space Test Bed (DSTB) ready for launch. The photo was taken at the
Scientific Flight Balloon Facility, Fort Sumner, NM. The Big Bill vehicle is holding the
DSTB ready to start Flight 546N with an 800,000 m
3
(28 million ft
3
) zero-pressure balloon built by Raven Aerostar. The payload weighs 1,222 kg (2,695 lb) and the overall
weight is 1,823 kg (4,018 lb). Photo courtesy of NASA/WFF/CSBF
44 Balloon Elements
Section 5.3 discusses the business proposal of Space Perspective. Here we shall
only discuss their concept for a gondola or, as they call it, a capsule.
The capsule was designed in collaboration with the UK studio PriestmanGoode,
which is also working on a passenger module concept for Elon Musk’s transport
system known as Hyperloop. The 5 m (16 ft) diameter capsule is supported by a
polyethylene balloon 100 m (328 ft) in diameter when fully inflated. It uses the
same technology NASA has used for scientific stratospheric balloons for many
decades. It will be inflated using hydrogen, because helium is much rarer, more
costly and has other uses; including medical.
Nigel Goode, designer and co-founder of PriestmanGoode, describes a longtime working partnership with the Space Perspective team. Their “Neptune” capsule is the culmination of a long-term collaboration that has resulted in the only
Fig. 3.5 The Deep Space Test Bed (DSTB) ready for launch. The photo was taken at the
Scientific Flight Balloon Facility, Fort Sumner, NM. The Big Bill vehicle is holding the
DSTB ready to start Flight 546N with an 800,000 m
3
(28 million ft
3
) zero-pressure balloon built by Raven Aerostar. The payload weighs 1,222 kg (2,695 lb) and the overall
weight is 1,823 kg (4,018 lb). Photo courtesy of NASA/WFF/CSBF
44 Balloon Elements