A space balloon will offer the first luxury meal in space, but is it worth it?

SpaceX has already shared plans to fly people around the Earth, and the entire idea of space tourism is expected to become huge as technology makes getting to space easier and more affordable. But, if you don’t care about affordability, you can take part in the first luxury meal in space, which is expected to happen sometime next year.

The trip up to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere for a Michelin-starred dinner is coming thanks to a partnership between luxury space travel company SpaceVIP and acclaimed chef Rasmus Munk. Together, the chef and company are offering six travelers the chance to enjoy their meal on the edge of space.

Image source: SpaceVIP

SpaceVIP announced the plans to send six dinnergoers to the edge of the atmosphere in a Space Perspective space balloon called Spaceship Neptune. If the thought of enjoying the first luxury meal in space is appealing, then you’ll no doubt want to know how much it’s going to cost. According to Forbes, SpaceVIP and Rasmus Munk will charge an astounding $495,000 per person to attend the dinner.

A launch date for the event has been set for late 2025, and it’s expected to depart from Kennedy Space Center in Florida when it lifts off. The flight is expected to take around six hours in total. Participants onboard will have access to Wi-Fi while onboard, allowing them to livestream and show off the experience to their friends and family back down on Earth.

There’s no doubt that the idea of traveling up to space for a luxury meal is appealing to some. But the fact that we’re already seeing these kinds of endeavors highlighting the future of space travel for tourists isn’t very exciting, as it just means we can expect to see more exorbitant experiences like this popping up.

Don’t get me wrong, I can understand the pricing. Space is an expensive place to send people to. And these kinds of things still come with a lot of risks that people need to be willing to accept. But I hope that the excitement of space travel and space tourism isn’t lost on these overpriced experiences that don’t benefit the common person.