CT has decided to take a new step in its innovation and diversification strategy. The company has become the engineering services provider for the Spanish space tourism company HALO Space
Man has always dreamed of conquering space. The history of space conquest is already more than 70 years old, but it has been in this new century that access to it for ordinary citizens has been proposed.
Under this philosophy, the companies of two entrepreneurs and “disruptors” were born, Virgin Galactic, from Branson, and SpaceX, from Ellon Musk. In our country, HALO Space was born in 2021, which has proposed to take more than 10,000 people into space in the next decade, a milestone that will be possible with the collaboration of CT, a Spanish company specialized in engineering services that has been working for more than 30 years for the aerospace sector.
In the history of this company from Getafe, chaired by Jesús Prieto, challenges are part of its DNA. In this new challenge CT leads the project as an integrator in all phases, from capsule design to manufacturing, system certification, testing, prototypes and first flight.
HALO Space’s approach has notable differences with the other proposals. The first is that it will be a balloon that will propel a pressurized capsule, with the capacity to transport up to 8 passengers, without the need to use a space suit, at an altitude of 40,000 meters, from where these new space tourists will be able to contemplate the darkness of space and the curvature from the earth. Another difference is that the trip will take several hours.
From CT, the director of the program, Dennis Quast, explains what this challenge consists of: “Participate in the development of a capsule propelled by a balloon, capable of reaching this height in about 2.5 hours, and staying another 2 hours in the stratosphere , equipped with several systems aimed at achieving a comfortable, safe and sustainable journey, is a unique experience for our team, and a huge challenge. To address it, we have brought together all the know-how and capabilities that we have in the different sectors in which we operate, such as aerospace, rail, automotive, etc. In our role as integrator of the different systems, we will have the opportunity to work hand in hand with internationally renowned technology partners from different sectors, which will give us valuable experience for future projects”.
The trip also bears the mark of sustainability. While other space tourism projects use rocket-type launchers, HALO Space’s system is propelled by a helium balloon, a gas that does not pollute, while the descent will be carried out with the help of a parafoil-type airship parachute.
The test capsule will be ready for the first test flight before the end of 2022, to test the different systems in the different phases of flight, air-ground communications, video, descent control, etc. After a test plan of up to two and a half years, the first commercial flight is expected to take place in 2025. To achieve this, from HALO Space they explain that their project is based on a solid technological base, for which they have the best specialists in the development of this technology.