--- title: "SpaceX Crew Dragon Will Feature Massive Glass Dome" description: "SpaceX has shown off a new Crew Dragon spacecraft render, this time featuring a massive glass dome, allowing future passengers to get an amazing view." date: "2021-03-31" modified: "2021-03-31" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-crew-dragon-will-feature-massive-glass-dome" categories: - "Crew Dragon" - "Space" - "SpaceX" tags: - "crew dragon" - "elon musk" - "SpaceX" - "the digest" --- # SpaceX Crew Dragon Will Feature Massive Glass Dome ![SpaceX has shown off a new Crew Dragon spacecraft render, this time featuring a massive glass dome, allowing future passengers to get an amazing view.]() *\Image: SpaceX\* ## A New View SpaceX has shown off its latest render of its Crew Dragon spacecraft, this time featuring an almost 180-degree glass dome, allowing future passengers to get an unprecedented view of their surroundings. "Probably most 'in space' you could possibly feel by being in a glass dome," boasted CEO Elon Musk in a [Twitter reply](). https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1376902938635870209 ## Glass Ceiling It's still unclear which types of Crew Dragon capsules could feature such a dome, but given the focus on enjoying the view, the new feature is likely aimed at private passenger flights to space. The news comes after billionaire Jacob Isaacman selected three individuals to join him on a multi-day Crew Dragon journey to space as soon as "[mid to late September]()." The glass dome is reminiscent of the "Cupola" installed by the European Space Agency on the International Space Station in 2010. The circular window at the center of the Cupola is roughly 2.5 feet across. If SpaceX were to use its dock adapter structure, the dome could be almost 4.5 feet in diameter, [according to *Teslarati*'s calculations](), and about two feet deep. As seen in the render, the glass dome could be enclosed by the capsule's nosecone when not in use. ## Big Dome It's still unclear if current technological limitations would actually allow for such a huge glass dome to exist today. Glass has to withstand extreme conditions in space, from highly varying temperatures to immense pressure differentials. The Cupola, for instance, uses specialized bulletproof glass. Creating such a massive dome that can withstand those conditions will likely present SpaceX with a enormous engineering challenge. But the spectacular views may just make it all worth it. **READ MORE:** [SpaceX to upgrade Dragon with the most immersive window ever launched into space]() \[*Teslarati*\] **More on Crew Dragon:** *[A Contest Is Sending These Mere Mortals Into Orbit For Free]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()