CNBC spoke to three startups — France-based Zephalto, Florida-based Space Perspective and Arizona-based World View — that aim to hoist tourists to the stratosphere using pressurized capsules and massive gas-filled balloons. "The capsule itself is designed to to carry eight customers and two crew into the stratosphere," said Ryan Hartman, CEO of World View. World Views says it sold 1,250 tickets so far while Space Perspective has sold 1,800. Ticket prices range from $50,000 per seat with World View to around $184,000 with Zephalto. Space Perspective sells tickets to its experience for $125,000 per seat.

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Persons: Ryan Hartman, Jane Poynter, Poynter, Vincent Farret d'Astiès, Zephalto Organizations: SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, CNBC, —, U.S Locations: — France, Florida, Arizona