frank stephenson designs HALO’s spaceflight capsule, the aurora

Frank stephenson reveals halo’s spaceflight capsule design

Lightweight materials, spacious seating, and expansive viewing windows characterize Frank Stephenson’s design for HALO’s spaceflight capsule, The Aurora. The designer reveals his use of curved lines, reflective surfaces, and a seating arrangement that recalls the assembly of the cosmos, all inspired by Space Age architecture. Aluminum alloy and composites guarantee that the HALO spaceflight capsule’s total take-off weight measures 3,500 kilograms, all while providing ample space for eight passengers and one pilot.

images courtesy of Frank Stephenson Design

the aurora’s interior inspired by space age architecture

Frank Stephenson flanks expansive viewing windows around The Aurora, totaling 2.82 square meters. With such a design, passengers can enjoy views of the Earth from the edge of space. Drawing inspiration from Space Age architecture and design, the surroundings of the HALO spaceflight capsule bounce and double as the reflective materials mirror the cosmos. The use of curved lines and edges, along with the thoughtfully placed seating arrangement, evokes the arms of the Milky Way and the aesthetics of the cosmos.

vista perspective

Frank Stephenson says that working on HALO’s spaceflight capsule ‘The Aurora’ brings about challenges from a design perspective. ‘Crafting a beautiful interior for passengers while considering factors like strict safety regulations and weight distribution posed significant hurdles, but we were fully committed to offering both luxurious aesthetics and functionality. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved,’ he shares. HALO Space, the parent company of the spaceflight capsule ‘The Aurora,’ plans to open its space tourism and commercial flights to 10,000 passengers by 2030, commencing its first runs in 2025.

augmented reality

HALO space’s test flights before commercial travel

In September 2023, the space travel company reported that The Aurora successfully completed four test flights at the dry lake of Cuddeback in California, with the capsule lifted by a helicopter to an altitude of 2,000 meters. Prior to this, HALO Space conducted its inaugural test flight in December 2022 in Hyderabad, India, where it successfully lifted its prototype capsule to an altitude of 37 kilometers with a stratospheric hydrogen-filled balloon.

toilet view

The ascent of The Aurora takes place in a spherical-shaped helium balloon designed by Frank Stephenson Design, gradually ascending from Earth with minimal gravitational force. The company estimates flight times of around four to six hours, reaching a maximum altitude of up to 35 kilometers. As of the publication of this story, HALO Space is developing initiatives to remove financial barriers, allowing more individuals to access space exploration. The prices for the spaceflight capsule’s travel are yet to be determined.

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