Michelin-starred chef Rasmus Munk is about to take fine dining to an unprecedented altitude, quite literally serving exquisite cuisine 100,000 feet above Earth.
Hailing from Denmark, Munk is collaborating with Space Perspective, a pioneering Florida-based company that aims to redefine space tourism, on this extraordinary culinary adventure.
The menu crafted for this cosmic journey will draw inspiration from the myriad innovations birthed from space exploration. Attendees can expect thoughtfully prepared dishes, all while Munk himself turns the act of cooking into an art form in the vessel known as Spaceship Neptune.
(iStock/AP Photo/James Brooks)
Munk emphasizes that dining in the atmosphere aboard Spaceship Neptune will amplify the emotional connection felt by each guest. The experience could even venture into playful territory, cramming “an edible piece of space junk from a satellite” into a dish, an intriguing twist to the menu.
As diners enjoy their celestial cuisine, Munk plans to stir conversations around pressing issues like climate change. He expresses his desire to discuss critical matters affecting the planet, from rampant deforestation to rising temperatures and the plight of oceanic garbage.
Munk is renowned for his culinary prowess at Alchemist, a two-Michelin-star restaurant located in Denmark, which was recently recognized as the fifth-best restaurant globally.
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The voyage aboard Spaceship Neptune will take two hours to ascend to its peak, offering an uninterrupted view of the Earth below, followed by two hours spent floating at that breathtaking height. The descent will also last two hours, offering ample time for reflection.
Despite its lofty altitude, the Spaceship Neptune does not technically reach the boundary of space, defined by the Karman line, which rests 62 miles above the Earth’s surface.
For those daring enough to join this exclusive affair, tickets will be priced at an astonishing $495,000, a staggering rise from the standard $125,000 fare for a typical journey on Spaceship Neptune.
(Space Perspective)
Space Perspective anticipates launching these commercial flights in 2025. Within its capsule, which accommodates “Eight Explorers and the Space Perspective Captain,” there’s a sense of camaraderie mixed with newfound wonder as guests cling to shared moments far removed from everyday life.
The ascent is facilitated not by a rocket but rather by a colossal “SpaceBalloon,” which boasts a volume of 18 million cubic feet when fully inflated. It conjures a curious image: if a football stadium were to float, it would thrive within a fully inflated SpaceBalloon.
Before launch, this ingenious balloon will stand over 700 feet tall, offering both sight and spectacle as it fills with hydrogen. Prospective astronauts needn’t joyously fret over the balloon’s structural integrity, as the technology has been successfully tested over a thousand times by NASA and other agencies.
(Space Perspective)
This zero-pressure balloon operates under a unique principle: if a hole were to rupture its envelope, it would descend with leisurely grace rather than plummet. A reserve descent system, akin to parachutes employed for space capsule returns, adds a further layer of assurance, helping guests savor their extraordinary meal while contemplating life not only on Earth but the universe surrounding it.
