If tying the knot on Earth isn’t quite enough for you, now there’s an out-of-this-world option to consider: marrying in space. A company called Space Perspective is offering betrothed couples the chance to join astronauts on a six-hour space flight that lets them gaze down on our planet from the edge of the heavens.
You’ll be able to sip cocktails and choose the perfect playlist for your flight while enjoying plush seating, interactive lighting and high-speed Wi-Fi. Those onboard will also have the opportunity to learn about Earth from the perspective of space, with screens and sensors that deliver real-time science data. You can even bring your own bespoke playlist to make the ride your own — but you’ll be expected to pay for extra drinks, snacks and other wedding-related requests.
According to the company’s website, you can expect a “unique and spectacular” journey, which includes an ascent to the edge of space in a carbon-neutral balloon fitted with enormous windows. This is where you’ll get to join the small group of people who have seen our home from above, a view astronauts describe as an epiphany that changes their outlook forever. You’ll also be able to share the experience with loved ones on the ground via videolink.
The cost for the trip will be a bit steep, with Space Perspective saying it’s $1.2 million per person — but that doesn’t include any other expenses such as flights, food and drink. And just like a traditional wedding, you’ll need to sign a waiver saying you understand the risks and challenges involved.
One such risk is microgravity, which can cause everything from nausea to muscle cramping. It can even interfere with the normal functioning of the brain and lungs. And the most obvious danger is that if something goes wrong, you could end up floating away into the infinite abyss.
While there’s no guarantee you’ll avoid all of these hazards, you’re much more likely to make it back safe and sound if you’re in the hands of experts. That’s why the company’s founders, including former NASA engineers and scientists, have extensive experience flying with private space companies.
It’s worth mentioning, though, that space marriages haven’t been exactly common. In fact, it was only in July that cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko married his American fiancée Ekaterina Dmitriev aboard the International Space Station. The couple had originally planned to hold a ceremony on the ground, but when his mission was extended, they decided to go ahead and tie the knot in space. Officials had urged them to postpone the ceremony until he was back on Earth, citing legal complexities and Soviet-era rules that require active Russian military personnel to get permission to marry foreign citizens.
The pair, who met online and became engaged in May, walked down the aisle to a song by David Bowie. They’re now set to marry next June at a church in Yaroslavl, Russia. (Malenchenko is named after Yuri Gagarin, the first person to make a manned space flight.)