TAKE A TEST FLIGHT

In the near future, you’ll be able to take off from Curaçao or the Mojave Desert in this astonishing vehicle. It’s an ingenious cross between a rocket ship and a jet plane designed to give you a scenic tour of space before returning you safely back to earth. Just imagine winning a space ride in the co-pilot’s seat…

After leaving the runway in a horizontal fashion, the pilot will point the Lynx´s nose sharply upwards. Your powered ascent will reach Mach 2.9 after 3 minutes. The engines will be switched off at 58.5km (192,000 feet) and you´ll continue almost vertically until you reach weightlessness at an altitude of 103km (338,000 feet).

Without noticing it, you will have crossed the Karman Line: the invisible official border 100km from the earth that marks your exit from this world’s atmosphere. Congratulations: you´re in Deep Space and officially an astronaut. Float around there for another six minutes as you gasp in wonder at the sight of Planet Earth. Then it´s time for re-entry, at a force of up to 4G at pull-out. To get you back down, you´ll glide and circle your way to a smooth horizontal landing. Your home planet will never seem the same again.

Philips is offering space flights in this unique craft thanks to its partnership with XCOR Space Expeditions. Together, we will celebrate the power of innovation to transform people’s lives.