Space Perspective, a Florida-based luxury space experience company, has successfully conducted a full flight profile of its uncrewed Spaceship Neptune-Excelsior. The test flight, which took off from Marine Spaceport (MS) Voyager in Florida, marks a significant milestone toward crewed missions for the company. Tickets for future flights are priced at USD 125,000.

The six-hour journey demonstrated the spacecraft's ability to ascend to an altitude of ~100,000 ft, passing through 99% of Earth's atmosphere. Key features tested include the patented four-roller system for balloon lift, the pressurized cabin with large windows, an advanced thermal control system, and the hydrogen-powered SpaceBalloon.

Analyst QuickTake: Space Perspective's MS Voyager spaceport was unveiled in February 2024 and completed construction in August 2024 . The 294-foot-long MS Voyager is the first-ever spaceport for human spaceflight on open water and is equipped to launch and retrieve the company's SpaceBalloons for tourists. The company plans to begin passenger flights in 2025 and commercial operations in 2026.