French company Zephalto is offering pre-reservation tickets for a unique experience of dining on Michelin-star-level meals on the “edge of space” next year. Zephalto, a space tourism venture founded by former air traffic controller Vincent Farret d’Astiès, is selling the tickets for upcoming trips on its pressurized capsule, Celeste, which is attached to a stratospheric balloon. The capsule will ascend to an altitude of 25 kilometers, which is about 15.5 miles, allowing guests to enjoy the breathtaking view of the Earth’s curvature. Along with the stunning views, passengers will be treated to a luxurious dining experience during the 3-hour flight.
The pre-reservation tickets, costing 10,000 euros (approximately $10,900), give purchasers the chance to reserve a seat whenever tickets become available. A trip on Celeste costs 120,000 euros (approximately $131,100), which will include food, beverages, and the extraordinary journey. Zephalto has already sold seats for the first flights from late 2024 to mid-2025, and it is now offering pre-reservation slots for mid-2025 onwards.
Celeste will ferry six passengers and two pilots to the maximum altitude in just 90 minutes, at a speed of four meters per second. The capsule will then float above the Earth for three hours, during which guests can enjoy a multiple-course meal and several glasses of fine French wine. According to Farret d’Astiès, the focus of Celeste’s offering is to allow guests to appreciate and take in the beauty of their surroundings while enjoying luxurious food and beverage options.
Zephalto is not the only company in the race to transport passengers in a fancy hot air balloon. Floridian company Space Perspective is currently taking reservations for its Spaceship Neptune. However, it is essential to note that there is a big difference between a trip to orbital space, which involves high-speed takeoffs and longer duration, and suborbital space, in which travelers are briefly exposed to weightlessness and views of space during a flight to the edge of the atmosphere, 60 miles above Earth.
Trips to the “edge of space” proposed by Zephalto and Space Perspective will not hit suborbital space, but the passengers will still fly significantly higher than a commercial airplane. That means they will have a great view of the Earth and stars, but without the loss of gravity and the feeling of weightlessness. Farret d’Astiès describes the atmosphere inside Celeste as the same as traveling by plane, just with more incredible views and luxurious vibes. The interior of the pressurized capsule is being designed by French designer Joseph Dirand, and Zephalto promises to release designs soon, which will exude “French savoir-faire.”
