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Courtesy of Iwaya Inc. A balloon that reached the stratosphere in a test flight
The Yomiuri Shimbun
12:45 JST, January 18, 2025
Iwaya Inc., a Hokkaido-based startup, announced that it will begin offering balloon trips to the stratosphere for a view of near space sometime between April and June.
The trip will involve a polyethylene balloon filled with gas flying to the stratosphere, more than 20 kilometers above ground, and those aboard will be able to see near space from a sphere-shaped air-tight cabin attached to the balloon. The cabin is 1.7 meters in diameter and can accommodate up to two people.
The company succeeded in reaching the target altitude during a test flight.
Currently, the trip will cost 24 million yen, but the company aims to reduce the price significantly in the future to potentially a few million yen.
