Mercedes-Maybach partners with Space Perspective for luxury space travel

Mercedes-Maybach, known for its high-end luxury vehicles, is venturing into the realm of space travel through a partnership with the startup Space Perspective.

The collaboration begins with the Maybach EQS SUV serving as the official transport vehicle for the Space Perspective program. This program will carry six passengers per flight to a pressurized capsule attached to a massive SpaceBalloon powered by hydrogen. The journey takes passengers to an altitude of 100,000 feet at a gentle speed of 14 miles per hour, offering a unique experience of “space” (although space technically begins at 62 miles high).

Each journey lasts approximately six hours, with two hours dedicated to ascent, two hours of floating in space, and two hours for the return trip. Notably, these trips are carbon-neutral and “completely silent,” according to Space Perspective Founder and Co-CEO Jane Poynter.

Poynter emphasized the distinction of this space experience, stating, “We are taking all of us to space but in a very different way than you would most likely have ever imagined. This has no rockets involved, there’s no high Gs, there’s no space suits – none of that. Instead, we’re using a balloon that gently takes people to space to have that quintessential astronaut experience.”

The interior of the Space Perspective capsule resembles a luxury SUV, featuring six lounge-like chairs facing massive windows, which Poynter notes are the largest of any spacecraft. The capsule also includes a central bar, some greenery, and even a bathroom. While the interior was designed by Space Perspective, Maybach plans to infuse its own design elements into future capsules.

The first Space Perspective mission is scheduled for launch in late 2024, with ongoing tests leading up to the launch. A seat on one of these journeys comes with a price tag of $125,000, limiting flights to individuals who can afford a Maybach EQS.

Poynter shared the excitement surrounding the venture, stating, “We are about to get back into test flights with on-crew test flights first and then getting into crew test flights mid-next year… and then around the end of the year, we’ll be in commercial operations. So for us, it is an incredibly exciting time to bring this to market. We already have 1,650 plus people who have bought tickets to go to space, which is very exciting for us.”