the problems your having with air travel and space travel can be easily rectified.

take one blimp - ridgify the canopy by eneveloping a hydrogenous gel that FREEZES at altitude - you can morph the hsape of your blimp with hydraulics - then it will freeze and you have a frozen rigid canopy zeppelin balloon or blimp - simple and 100% safe - these things can travel the world at 60 km altitude without coming down for a refuel and can travel at any velocity you want.