Gastronomic experiences are increasingly surprising and in the search for impact it seems that there are no limits. It has come so far that, now, you can even enjoy a meal in space. The French company Zephalto, specialized in space tourism, has already opened reservations for gourmet trips that it plans to start operating at the end of 2024. Diners will be able to taste a menu 25 kilometers from the surface, with panoramic views of the Earth and the stars. The price, however, is also stratospheric: 120,000 euros per person.
The company plans to offer 60 flights a year with only six passengers on board on each flight. The experience includes multiple courses of French food, wine and other beverages in a designer setting, Vincent Farret d'Astiès, an aerospace engineer and founder of Zephalto, told CNN. All this aboard Celeste, a pressurized capsule that in turn is attached to a hot air balloon.
The helium- or hydrogen-filled balloons will leave France with two pilots on board and soar 25 kilometers into the stratosphere, lasting an hour and a half. Once it reaches its maximum altitude, which is about three times higher than that of a commercial airliner, the balloon will float above Earth for three hours, enough time to enjoy a multi-course meal and also give guests the chance to enjoy views previously only seen by astronauts.
Thus, the trip will last six hours in total, just enough time to go up and enjoy the panorama and the food before returning to Earth. Zephalto says it will be a "low carbon" trip. The project, in collaboration with the French Space Agency (CNES), will begin operating its flights at the end of 2024, according to forecasts.
Pre-reserved tickets cost €10,000 and give buyers the chance to secure a seat as soon as they go on sale. The company has already launched this option and all seats have been sold until mid-2025.
In recent years, high-profile space tourism companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic have been making moves in this arena, promising to turn space into the next luxury vacation spot. An experience, however, that only a few can afford.
