Sustainable Transport Project for Near Space Travel Unveiled by Stratoflight, Expleo
Stratoflight and Expleo unveiled a new sustainable transport project for space travel at the 73rd International Astronautical Congress (IAC), in Paris, offering passenger flights by balloon to the stratosphere at an altitude of 35km (≈22 miles).
"Stratoflight provides passengers with multiple exceptional experiences: the ascent to space that feels like a hot-air balloon flight, stepping out onto the viewing balcony, moving into space like an astronaut, and the landing, similar to free flight in a paraglider."
Arnaud Longobardi, airline pilot and co-founder of Stratoflight.
Tying closely to the event theme of “Space for @ll”, Stratoflight is a new sustainable transport project that will allow passengers to reach the stratosphere in a unique capsule complete with an “external” viewing platform. The French-based company has partnered with Expleo, an engineering, technology and consulting provider with deep expertise in the space industry, for the development of this project.
For its ascent, the spacecraft uses tried-and-tested zero-pressure balloon technology, filled with green hydrogen, like that used for many years by space agencies such as CNES and NASA for scientific flights. To ensure a zero-carbon footprint, hydrogen will be produced locally at the take-off site via renewable energy, including solar and wind.
The vehicle, which measures 26 feet in length, 13 feet wide and 10 feet high, can accommodate up to six people, including two pilots.
Expleo is designing the flight capsule for Stratoflight, which includes an extra-vehicular viewing platform, or “balcony”. Passengers wearing a pressurized suit will be able to step out into space to view the Earth from the stratosphere, at an altitude where the planet’s curvature will be visible and a horizon spanning from Barcelona to Amsterdam is visible, approximately 770 miles.
Sustainable Transport Project Offers a Unique Passenger Experience
Engineers at Expleo’s innovation laboratory have had to consider numerous parameters to ensure a safe and immersive experience for passengers in a capsule with large glass areas in its structure, including structural sizing, interior and exterior panels, design of onboard electronics, safety, and aerodynamics.
The cockpit, made of bio-sourced, recycled or recyclable materials, will be able to fly at speeds of up to 90 mph for the return to land, thanks to its aerodynamic shape with both straight and curved lines. Descent to land is made under a piloted paraglider.
The sustainable transport project is being developed with several European partners, including Swing for the parachutes and Spartan Space for the pressure suit.
"Stratoflight provides passengers with multiple exceptional experiences: the ascent to space that feels like a hot-air balloon flight, stepping out onto the viewing balcony, moving into space like an astronaut, and the landing, similar to free flight in a paraglider. All this in a capsule similar to a spacecraft," said Arnaud Longobardi, airline pilot and co-founder of Stratoflight. "For me, this mission is not only the realization of my dreams as a pilot but also a technological innovation respectful of the planet.”
“Making space accessible to all, while respecting the environment, is at the heart of what we believe in at Expleo. Our teams of space engineers have designed this capsule with this dual objective in mind. And we intend to go further. We are currently investigating the possibility of making the capsule out of new green composite materials based on bamboo, which would further reduce its carbon footprint. We are proud of our work with Stratoflight and of our contribution to this innovation,” said Frédérique Rebout, Head of Space, Expleo.
As part of the sustainable transport project, Stratoflight will also offer, each year, several flights to people involved in the areas of preservation of Earth, science and space, in the world of education, and the charity sector.
Reservations for passengers will open in early 2023, with the first flight scheduled for 2025.
(Source: Stratoflight news release. Images provided and from Company YouTube Video)