Space Perspective Inc. was chosen as one of Orlando Business Journal's 2022 Fire Awards honorees, who were featured in OBJ's April 29-May 5, 2022, weekly edition.
The Cape Canaveral-based firm is the world’s first luxury spaceflight experience company. It invites more people than historically possible to experience a thrilling, visceral perspective that expands the human consciousness: the incredibly exhilarating panoramas and scale of Earth in space.
Space Perspective on April 12 revealed design plans for its “space lounge” that will carry passengers 100,000 feet above Earth’s surface. In addition, the company hired South Florida restaurant and nightlife entrepreneur David Grutman as experience curator to advise on the experience it will craft for its future customers. The company’s trips, set to begin in late 2024, will take up to eight passengers on a six-hour journey that peaks nearly 20 miles above Earth.
Here's more from Jane Poynter, co-founder, co-CEO and chief experience officer:
What was your company’s biggest accomplishment of 2021? Our first test flight safely completed its journey to 108,000 feet in June [2021] from the Space Coast Spaceport, adjacent Kennedy Space Center. In October, we announced we raised a $40 million Series A funding round that funds the company to commercial operations. In December, we selected Florida’s Space Coast Spaceport for our worldwide campus and manufacturing complex, and we sold out our first year of flights.
How did you get it done? Space Perspective is built on the successful 30-year track record of an award-winning space entrepreneurial team. We have a world class crew that has led, developed or operated all human space balloon flights for the last 50 years, along with brilliant engineers and safety experts who have been responsible for some of the most remarkable breakthroughs in space innovation and exploration in recent years.
What's happening in your industry? It is a very exciting time for space tourism with huge demand that will outstrip supply for years to come. Human spaceflight companies all offer different experiences, and this environment truly is a “rising tide lifts all boats.” To date, very few private civilians have traveled to space, but the Space Perspective experience will fulfill a lifelong dream for many people. Because there is no requisite training or pre-launch preparation criteria, we can offer more people the chance to experience the life-changing view of Earth from space. No other endeavor is more thrilling and more meaningful to us than making space travel safe and accessible to humankind, offering awe and wonder to those who have always wished they could reach the stars.
What is your company’s top goal for 2022? Right now, our focus is on creating the most incredible experience for customers. The Space Perspective experience is a bucket-list item of major proportions and our aim is to give customers unprecedented access to space.
Are you hiring now? We plan to hire approximately 240 full-time people for commercial operations.
OBJ Staff Writer Alex Soderstrom contributed to this article.
Space Perspective Inc.
- Top executives: Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum, co-founders/co-CEOs
- Year founded: 2019
- Capital raised since founding: $48 million
- Employees: 50
Sign up here for The Beat, Orlando Inno’s free newsletter. And be sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
