Why space tourism from Dubai could be a reality by 2023

  • Date: 22-Nov-2020
  • Source: Arabian Business
  • Sector:Tourism
  • Country:uae-top-picks
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Why space tourism from Dubai could be a reality by 2023

Tourist flights into outer space could be departing from Dubai by the end of 2023, according to the CEO of EOS-X Space.

And Kemel Kharbachi, who has already had initial discussions with Dubai Tourism, told Arabian Business ambitious plans for the emirate include a 80 – 100 million Euros site to launch commercial operations as well as making the city the company's global space hub.

He said: “This is the democratisation of space travel. In the next decade it will be more affordable and we will be there for that.”

The Spanish start-up faces strong competition from the likes of UAE-backed Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin and SpaceX, who are all looking to break into space tourism.

However, instead of using rockets, EOS-X Space is promising to take people up in a pressurised capsule, capable of carrying five passengers and one crew member, propelled by a helium balloon, which will rise to an altitude of 40km.

And Kharbachi is aiming to take 10,000 into space before 2030.

Image: eosxspace

He said: “In this decade, from 2021 to 2030, this is the decade where we will start this new service of space tourism.”

The capsule is similar to the one used by Austrian skydiver, daredevil and BASE jumper Felix Baumgartner, who