Ferrari's designer was here - Halo Space showed the interior of a capsule that will "take" you to the stratosphere for $150k.

Halo Space, founded in 2021, offers space tourism services and uses helium balloons instead of rockets or jet planes. The ticket price is currently out of reach for most people, reaching $150,000, although the use of aerostats is significantly cheaper (and more environmentally friendly) - for example, Virgin Galactic offers commercial flights for $450,000, while Blue Origin for $28 million, and Space X for $55 million.

On paper, everything works quite simply: a balloon filled with helium lifts a capsule into the stratosphere - to a height of about 30 km above the Earth, and the journey itself will last from 4 to 6 hours.

Overall, about 650 people have ever been to space, however, Halo Space CEO Carlos Mira has ambitious plans to increase this number to 10,000 by 2030 - with a minimum of two flights per week.

The capsule interior was designed by Frank Stevenson - known for his work with Ferrari, Maserati, and other car manufacturers, but especially remembered for the design of the Fiat 500 and BMW X5. The first photos of the Halo Space interior have already been published (via Business Insider), so you can get a sense of the full scope.

Stevenson says that his design firm built its own 1:1 scale model of the capsule to find the best layout. Several different mechanisms were also tested to determine the best way to arrange the nine seats, one of which is for the pilot.

In the end, all seats were turned toward a huge window to provide the best view (although during takeoff and landing, half of the passengers will be facing inward).

Stevenson shared sketches of the seat design, showing how much attention is paid to details such as the armrest and adjustable headrest.

The capsule is also equipped with fold-out dining trays to increase space. In the lower area, dishes, hot or cold, are stored, and Halo says they will serve whatever the customer desires here.

Stevenson said it was also important to maximize the space for the bathroom:

“No one likes cramped spaces. Most commercial airliners are usually very uncomfortable.”

Perhaps the most intriguing plans involve augmented reality - for example, showing various constellations in the sky or places on Earth that the capsule flies over.

Overall, the width of the capsule is over 5 meters, and the height is 3 meters.

Since 2022, Halo has conducted five test flights and hopes to launch commercial flights as early as 2026. However, first, they need to pass certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, and then obtain permits in other countries.

At the Halo presentation, journalists recalled the OceanGate accident and asked if this capsule would become “another way for the rich to die.”

“Safety is a priority for us,” Mira replied. “We use mature technologies. Air balloons have existed for over 200 years.”