15 Nov. 2022, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

 – Today, Space Perspective unveiled MS Voyager– the world’s first Marine Spaceport for human spaceflight, and the first in a planned fleet of this new class of spaceports globally. Spaceports are sites for launching and receiving spacecraft. Now with the capacity to launch from marine-based sites around the world, in addition to launching from land on Florida’s Space Coast, Space Perspective becomes the first global space travel experience company, offering safe and sustainable journeys to the edge of space from where Explorers live and play.

The name Voyager is an homage to the Voyager 1 Space Probe mission which, on astronomer Carl Sagan’s request, took a photo of Earth from across the solar system on February 14th, 1990. That photo, now known iconically as the Pale Blue Dot, inspired Sagan’s book of the same name and his call for humans to “preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known” – words that reverberate through Space Perspective’s mission today.

“Space Perspective will change your relationship with our planet by providing the quintessential astronaut experience of viewing Earth from the blackness of space,” said Jane Poynter, Space Perspective’s Founder and Co-CEO. “It’s imperative for us to think about our business with a global mindset. Removing geographic borders for launch and landing accelerates our mission of making this transformative experience more accessible to the world and international marketplace – safely, reliably and with minimal impact on our planet.”

Plans are underway to integrate marine-based launches into marquee global events, and conversations are active with several potential destinations across the globe to offer Explorers an awe-inspiring view of some of the world’s most iconic geography.

“We always imagined offering the opportunity to view the most incredible natural phenomena from space, including the Northern Lights, the boot of Italy, the sheer scale of the Nile Delta, and the deep blue seas around the Bahamas. Marine Spaceports like MS Voyager make this a reality,” said Poynter.

MS Voyager and future Space Perspective Marine Spaceports give the company the operational flexibility needed to grow its business more quickly to reach a supply-constrained global market for commercial space travel that analysts recently estimated could reach over $8 billion by 2030. Marine Spaceports create ideal launch conditions in two ways: by navigating to areas of good weather, which allows for year-round operations within a region, and by moving with the sea breeze, so there is virtually no wind across the deck. This enables more frequent launch opportunities, as well as more options for the time of day, including sunrise and sunset nighttime stargazing flights for Explorers.

“This is another important milestone and a proud moment for the Space Perspective crew both in terms of pioneering engineering and the ability to scale our offer quickly, globally. We are grateful to our extended crew of dynamic, best-in-class operational partners,” said Space Perspective’s Founder, Co-CEO and CTO Taber MacCallum.

Acquired from one of the world’s premier shipbuilders, Edison Chouest Offshore, MS Voyager’s marine operations will be supported by Guice Offshore. The 292-foot-long vessel, which will call Port Canaveral its home, is now being outfitted for launch, retrieval, and SpaceBalloon™ operations at Conrad Shipyard -- preparations for which were provided by Gulf Ship. In keeping with Space Perspective’s environmentally conscious ethos, offsets will be provided by Cool Effects, and the vessel itself is being retrofitted to use biofuel to reduce its carbon footprint.

When it’s time to come back to Earth at the end of the journey in Spaceship Neptune’s pressurized capsule, a patent-pending splash-cone at its base provides a smooth and gentle water landing. Fast boats from Fluid Watercraft will then arrive to stabilize the capsule, which will be lifted onto the Marine Spaceport by a custom-built A-frame provided by Supreme Integrated Technologies. Communications throughout the operation – between land, sea, and capsule – will be provided by Silvus Technologies. From early Apollo to SpaceX missions, water landings have been a safe and trusted way to return to Earth, and Space Perspective’s team includes former SpaceX and NASA launch and retrieval experts.

"We've always believed in Space Perspective's mission and the experience they are bringing to the world through human spaceflight. Unlocking the ability to scale globally with the addition of Marine Spaceports only strengthens the proposition and the power of the company to change people's lives and the future of our planet," said, Brandon Ross, General Partner of LightShed Ventures, a major Space Perspective investor.

MS Voyager will begin operations in the New Year, aligned to Space Perspective’s planned test flights that commence in early 2023. Space Perspective has sold over 1,000 tickets to date. Tickets are available to reserve now at their current price of $125,000 at SpacePerspective.com.

For more information, visit SpacePerspective.com. Follow Space Perspective for updates on 

Press Release: Space Perspective Becomes First Global Space Travel Experience Company

- Space travel is about to get safer, more comfortable, and even more thrilling. Space Perspective, Planet Earth's leading luxury space travel company, unveils the patent-pending Spaceship Neptune capsule design now in production at the company’s state-of-the-art campus, near its Operations Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

As the only carbon neutral way to space, Space Perspective continues its pursuit of proprietary space travel innovation. Thousands of virtual flight tests, simulations, and analysis runs with cutting-edge technology from Siemens Digital Industries and Amazon Web Services (AWS) resulted in the pioneering capsule and splash cone designs. An elegant spherical exterior maximizes the 360-degree panoramic views via the largest-ever, patented windows to be taken to the edge of space and a roomier Space Lounge interior, offering plenty of headroom as Explorers move around the capsule. The proprietary splash cone ensures Spaceship Neptune’s ocean landing is gentle and safe.

Space Perspective is revolutionizing space travel - and is a world away from rocket-fueled space endeavors. Explorers on board Spaceship Neptune, taking flight commercially from the end of 2024, will safely ascend to the edge of space in the climate-controlled, pressurized capsule, propelled by a patented SpaceBalloonTM, absorbing the phenomenal beauty of Earth from space. The six-hour round trip enables anybody who can board an airplane to soak in the beautiful views of the thin blue line circling earth below and the dark vastness of space above.

Space Perspective’s state-of-the-art composite capsule manufacturing facility, in conjunction with an in-depth series of parallel processed analyses and design iterations, led to Spaceship Neptune features such as:

An elegantly smooth, spherical pressure vessel designed for the ultimate Space Lounge experience and comfort. The iconic spherical shape of the exterior accommodates a roomier interior with more headroom, and the additional safety benefits of being optimal for pressure resistance.

An enhanced patent pending splash cone, refined from hundreds of digital iterations, to attenuate splashdown for a gentle and safe landing that improves customer experience and hydrodynamics. With water landings considered by NASA as the low risk way of returning a capsule from space, following the gradual, two-hour descent to Earth and a gentle splash down in the ocean, a Space Perspective crew will retrieve passengers, the capsule, and the SpaceBalloonTM by ship.

Reflective coated windows and center section, similar to that of an astronaut’s helmet, will limit solar gain and keep the interior Space Lounge comfortable and cool.

A patent pending thermal control system to amplify comfort. The exterior of the capsule travels through a wide range of thermally dynamic environments and the system will keep the interiors and Space Explorers at a consistently comfortable temperature.

Spaceship Neptune’s design is the culmination of serial inventions in patented technologies aligned to space exploration and the phenomenal efforts of a world-class team in examining every aspect of the design and its function. The capsule seamlessly marries the singular demands of space travel in relation to pressure, temperature and structural engineering to the ultimate user experience.

“Centuries of balloon and parachute operation and development demonstrate that always flying with the balloon from launch through landing, with traditional parachutes as a reserve backup system, is by far the simplest, safest and most robust solution. Our proprietary flight system means that the capsule and SpaceBalloonTM always remain connected, and take-off and landing conditions are always within our control. The team has come together to create an amazingly robust, safe, and incredibly elegant and luxurious system for Spaceship Neptune. Simplicity and automation are the keys to safety,” said Taber MacCallum, Founder, Co-CEO and CTO of Space Perspective.

“We are proud to announce our team members who lead the experience design for Spaceship Neptune, Dan Window, Experience Design Lead, and Isabella Trani, Experience Designer,” continued MacCallum. “From the details of the category defining Space Lounge™ interior, to the stunning exterior design, our team integrated the physics, engineering, analysis, and design elements to create the Space Perspective experience.” Dan Window and Isabella Trani are world experts in the design of premium transportation systems including the New Tube for London, the Vertical Aerospace VX4 electric aircraft, and the Hyperloop, and are co-founders at Of My Imagination.

They said: “Space travel presents a new realm of exciting challenges and creative thinking. As design specialists we have integrated the travel experience and aesthetic – from head room and groups of Explorers being able to move around comfortably within Spaceship Neptune from chair to restroom to bar – to, of course, maximising the once-in-a-lifetime views. The pioneering 360-degree windows will be accompanied by satellite imagery and 360-degree cameras to zoom in and out on the incredible vista. We now also have an exterior aesthetic that is every bit as powerful as the interior revealed in April - the engineering team have delivered an unsurpassable outcome in relation to performance and safety.

“As transportation designers, we are always looking to drive forward how and where we can take people next. Space travel is at the pinnacle of that, which is why we are excited to be working with Space Perspective to play a part in shaping this incredible experience.”

Space Perspective collaborated with Siemens, who have provided expertise in rigorous and precise engineering to the design of Spaceship Neptune. Testing iterations of the capsule design were accelerated by using solutions from Siemens Xcelerator portfolio and parallel-processing AWS servers. Siemens’ software processed the complex loads of a six-hour round trip that involves travel through air, space, and water while maintaining a safe, comfortable environment for passengers, meant that more virtual tests and simulations were able to be run than previously possible.

Through Siemens Xcelerator technology using 

 (Amazon EC2), on AWS, the Space Perspective engineering team, assisted by Siemens engineers, was able to craft the optimal capsule shape ahead of manufacturing. Simulations were used to demonstrate that the rounded capsule provides the most robust shape for pressure resistance and splashdown within the numerous environments Spaceship Neptune travels through during flight.

Cedrik Neike, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG, and CEO of Siemens Digital Industries added, “Siemens is excited to support this fantastic mission that showcases how Siemens Xcelerator can assist pushing the boundaries of innovation. The sky is no limit for digital transformation, and we are proud to play a part in helping Space Perspective get closer to their goal of lifting people into space in the safest and most stylish way possible.”

Manufacturing of Spaceship Neptune has already begun with 100,000 square feet of facilities, 300,000 square feet of dedicated testing apron area, and operations centre at the NASA KSC Shuttle Landing Facility. With almost 900 tickets sold to date and the purchase of entire capsules for eight

popular, commercial flights are targeted to begin in late 2024. Space Perspective is currently taking reservations for 2025 and beyond. Tickets are priced $125,000 per person, and bookings are made with a fully refundable deposit beginning at $1,000 (customers can also book and pay online via crypto - a first in the commercial space flight industry). Space Perspective’s human spaceflight launches are regulated by the FAA Office of Commercial Spaceflight.

*Peter Tinkham is a machinist and A&P Aircraft Mechanic with more than 10 years’ experience fabricating and assembling large composite structures and flight hardware for the aerospace industry. Prior to joining Space Perspective, he spent five years at SpaceX as a Launch Technician and Vehicle and Payload Integration Supervisor.

Space Perspective is the world’s first luxury spaceflight experience company. It invites more people than has historically been possible to experience a thrillingly new and visceral perspective that expands the human consciousness – the incredibly exhilarating panoramas and scale of Earth in space. 

cited Space Perspective as “the best suborbital space tourism offering in the world.”

Setting a new bar in out-of-this-world thrilling experiences, as soon as late 2024 Space Perspective plans to take Space Explorers to space inside Spaceship Neptune’s pressurized capsule propelled by a high-performance SpaceBalloon without using rocket fuel or high G forces. Space Explorers see the world anew through its vast windows, 450 miles in any direction. The ultra-comfortable, accessible and gentle six-hour journey redefines space travel.

Space Perspective is led by industry luminaries Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum and their unique-in-the-world expert crew who have been integral to all human SpaceBalloon flights in the last 50 years. Building on that experience, the Space Perspective crew has innovated and patented the safest spaceflight experience in the world. Poynter and MacCallum have been dubbed ‘Masters of the stratosphere’ by 

. MacCallum also served as Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation.

The focus on taking care of the world we live in is nothing new to Poynter: over the years, she has led ground-breaking environmental projects for the United Nations and the International Space Station, including the development of the first carbon sequestration model of a mangrove forest that could be used to calculate carbon credits to provide additional income to the community.

Of My Imagination (OMI) is a London-based design studio founded by Daniel Window and Isabella Trani specialising in the next generation of transport design. OMI works in collaboration with industry-leading clients to develop cutting-edge, sustainability-focused transportation. Bringing a fresh take to this new landscape of mobility, the studio is focused on creating exciting and unique passenger experiences.

A list of relevant Siemens trademarks can be found 

For more information, interviews, and visuals, please contact: kathie.gonzalez@buttoncollective.com |+1 (720) 320 4304

leila.abbaszadeh@buttoncollective.com | +44 (0) 7872562746

annie.croll@buttoncollective.com | +44 (0) 7984413362

Press Release: Space Perspective Unveils Patented Capsule Design

 Rapyd, the leading fintech-as-a-service platform, today announces the launch of its 

 challenge; a series of virtual challenges for developers to win tickets to ride to the edge of space in a private capsule launching in 2026. Check out this video from Rapyd partner William Shatner announcing the challenge.

Beginning today, challenges will be posted in the 

 every week through October 3. Members will have an opportunity to compete in a total of 42 challenges. Each solution will reveal a password unlocking an entry to win tickets to the edge of space aboard the 

The three individual winners - one each announced on July 11, September 2 and October 14, 2022 - plus one winning hackathon team named the Galaxy's Greatest Fintech Developer will board the world's only carbon neutral spaceship for the six hour trip. The winners will enjoy 360 degree views, 450 miles in any direction, while relaxing in the capsule's Space Lounge featuring plush reclining seats and the largest-ever panoramic windows to be flown to the edge of space.

In addition to the challenges for the developer community, there are additional opportunities to win via live events and four Hack the Galaxy-themed hackathons taking place throughout the year. The top team from each of these hackathons will be flown to Rapyd’s Developer Demo Day in Lisbon, Portugal in November 2022 to present their ideas in front of a panel of judges. The ultimate winning team will be crowned the ‘Galaxy’s Greatest Fintech Developers’ and be rewarded with the trip to the edge of space. Winners may also opt to choose a cash alternative prize of $130,000. Rapyd encourages anyone from eligible countries to join the developer community and participate.

All participants have opportunities to win dozens of other prizes throughout the challenge.

“The Hack the Galaxy challenge is a once in a lifetime experience and contest for our growing community of over 50,000 software developers.

Developers are the dreamers and doers of fintech innovation -

Rapyd, we’re on a quest to attract accomplished talent to welcome to our community. Millions of developers around the world are reimagining financial services bringing together new ideas and innovation to solve the problem of how businesses and consumers pay and want to be paid in markets across the planet. We’re committed to ensuring that they have access to the best tools, support and advice so that they can continue to make payment and fintech applications more frictionless. By launching this world-first contest, we are not only able to find and crown the greatest fintech developer on Planet Earth and beyond but also create a place for like-minded thinkers across the globe who are hungry to connect and share ideas”.

William Shatner, Film and TV icon and space enthusiast

“Having been to space myself, I can’t express how incredible an opportunity this is for software developers all over the world. It’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything and I’m excited to partner with Rapyd to spread the word to the developers worldwide to sign up to the Rapyd Developer Community, complete the puzzles and be in with a chance to win a trip to the edge of space!” 

The Rapyd Developer Community is far more than a ticket to space. The community has become a hub for developers to learn, connect and share with others in the fintech world. From learning how to use Rapyd’s APIs, to collaborating on business ideas and local hackathons, the Rapyd Developer Community is a launching pad for creativity and success.

 Join the Rapyd Developer Community to solve unique puzzles and receive invitations to live and virtual developer events that can earn you entry into a Hack the Galaxy drawing. For full details, please visit 

Rapyd is the fastest way to power local payments anywhere in the world, enabling companies across the globe to access markets quicker than ever before. By utilising Rapyd's unparalleled payments network and Fintech-as-a-Service platform, businesses and consumers can engage in local and cross-border transactions in any market. The Rapyd platform is unifying fragmented payment systems worldwide by bringing together 900-plus payment methods in over 100 countries. Rapyd's investors include Stripe, General Catalyst, Oak HC/FT, Coatue, Tiger Global, Durable Capital, Latitude, Target Global, and Tal Capital. To learn more about the company that is accelerating the Fintech-as-a-Service revolution, visit 

Rapyd and William Shatner launch ‘Hack the Galaxy’ competition for software developers to win a trip to the edge of space 

– Space travel has never been more comfortable nor kind to the environment. Space Perspective, the Earth’s leading luxury spaceflight experience company set on advancing a better appreciation of planet Earth and the interconnectedness of the human race, today reveals Spaceship Neptune’s customizable Space Lounge™ interior. The only carbon neutral, zero-emission way to space, Spaceship Neptune places safety, the thrilling views and interaction between Space Explorers front and center in its pioneering design, with sustainable materials embraced throughout – including a bar handcrafted using proprietary materials recycled from the unique SpaceBalloon™ connected to the capsule. The patented 360-degree panoramic windows (0.56 meters wide x 1.54 meters high) will be the largest-ever flown to space. Even the restroom will have a view!

Space Perspective is revolutionizing space tourism - and is a world away from rocket-fueled space endeavors. The elegant ascent in the climate-controlled, pressurized capsule, propelled by a state-of-the-art SpaceBalloon, enables passengers to safely glide for two hours at the edge of space absorbing the phenomenal beauty of Earth and vastness of space. Lift-off takes place at dawn so guests can soak up the sun rising as they climb 100,000 ft (20 mi/30 km). The gradual, two-hour descent to Earth gently concludes with a splash down in the ocean, where a ship retrieves the passengers, the capsule, and the

SpaceBalloon. Every aspect of the interior has been designed to enhance the transformative views while elegantly ascending at a cruise speed of 12mph.

“Our mission is to inspire Space Explorers to connect more closely with our planet and each other, and the environment in which they travel with us is central to this. Our Space Lounge is a world away from the white, utilitarian environments you find in other spacecraft,” explains Jane Poynter, Founder, Co-CEO and Chief Experience Officer of Space Perspective.

Space Perspective also announces that hospitality and entertainment entrepreneur David Grutman is joining the company as Experience Curator – to advise on the end-to-end experience for the Space Explorer – from arrival at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, to in-flight and post-landing.

Says David Grutman: “I am beyond excited about advising Space Perspective on the Space Lounge experience - we really want to make this transformative. The world class team at Space Perspective is on a mission to change people’s perception of what adventure travel can be. We have so many ideas on how we can customize the journey – from birthday celebrations, and corporate getaways, to creating seminal moments that will capture the imaginations of all.”

With a near 360-degree panoramic view which appears utterly seamless to the human eye and capsule layout established, the design team went to work on the detailed interior design, creating the elegant, safe and comfortable Space Lounge. As David Grutman knows well, every detail of a curated experience is important. Along with renders Space Perspective is releasing an interactive video walk-through showing details of the Space Lounge, right down to the bespoke Neptune drink glasses and a specially created dessert.

Arced, deep, reclining seats, which maximize the ability for Space Explorers to enjoy both the vista and each other, can be reconfigured to accommodate a more intimate dinner for two or special event

Lightweight, dark and tactile sustainable materials throughout its interior to reduce glare and reflection

Food and beverage service capabilities, including a bar top handcrafted using pellets formed by re-purposing the pioneering recyclable material from Space Perspective’s SpaceBalloons

The center of the capsule is kept free to ensure group photography (WiFi is also available in-flight) can easily be accommodated. Stretching out and walking around is also straightforward

Customizable mood lighting including low red LED lights ensure Space Explorers will absorb the dramatic sights of witnessing dawn, planet Earth, and stars above in space – while easily navigating their way around the Space Lounge

A telescope and interactive screens – including an overhead ‘donut’ scrolling display to share key information as the journey unfolds

Tasteful decorations including floor lamps, plants and herbs such as lavender, basil and rosemary which are used in food and drink prep. The plants remind us of the interconnected nature of our planet

A luxurious restroom featuring huge windows too so Space Explorers never miss the incredible views

“Our world class expert crew, who have been integral to all human SpaceBalloon flights in the last 50 years, trialled hundreds of layouts and we’ve secured a patent for our structural engineering, with two design patents pending. The quintessential spaceflight experience is a shared human experience and we’re super proud of this significant milestone as we move full steam ahead towards commercial flight,“ explained Taber MacCallum, Founder, Co-CEO and Chief Technology Officer.

“It is hard to overstate the importance of this design breakthrough, Space Perspective is setting the standard in space tourism,” added Poynter. “The welcoming comfort and calm of the exhilarating Space Lounge experience offers travelers the opportunity to take phenomenal pictures, be educated via our expert pilot and interactive content, enjoy once-in-a-lifetime dining experiences and of course simply soak up the 360 degree views. Our deliberate design process results in a configuration that enables individual contemplation of our extraordinary planet, while inviting a sense of shared experience between our Space Explorers that will create bonds lasting a lifetime. We are delighted to have David join to deliver the ultimate in customizable hospitality for our Space Explorers.”

Space calm while absorbing the dazzling views 100,000 ft up

Commercial flights are targeted to begin in late 2024, with 600 tickets sold to date. With the first year of seats completely reserved, Space Perspective is currently taking reservations for 2025 and beyond. Tickets are priced at a market-beating $125,000 per person, and bookings are made with a fully refundable deposit beginning at $1,000 (customers can also book and pay online via crypto - a first in the commercial space flight industry). Entire capsules are also available for reservations (up to eight guests and a pilot). Space Perspective’s human spaceflight launches are regulated by the FAA Office of Commercial Spaceflight.

Press Release: Space Perspective Unveils World's First Space Lounge

What makes Spaceship Neptune a spaceship unlike any other? A state-of-the-art, customizable Space Lounge™ interior. Our team worked through hundreds of iterations of the interior to optimize the design and performance of the pressurized Spaceship Neptune capsule. The goal was to create a welcoming interior featuring comfortable lounge chairs, mood lighting, and even plants and herbs such as lavender, basil, and rosemary that can be used in food and drink prep. This creates a calming environment in which to relax, and is the opposite of the bright white utilitarian interiors you find on other spacecraft (and most people's idea of how a spaceship interior looks).

Explorers will have unparalleled views from the 360-degree panoramic windows - the largest-ever flown to space. The main surfaces are dark, soft and tactile in order to enhance the feeling of coziness in the capsule, while at the same time reducing reflection and glare in the windows. Even the luxurious restroom features a large window, so Space Explorers never miss the incredible view.

The lounge layout allows for social interactions and creates a shared experience with fellow passengers. The arced seating gives a wider view across the earth, which in turn creates space for passengers to stretch their legs and stand comfortably in front of the seats. The only carbon neutral, zero-emission way to travel to space, Spaceship Neptune embraces sustainable materials throughout – including a bar handcrafted using proprietary materials recycled from the unique SpaceBalloon™.

Best of all, you can make your Space Perspective flight truly your own. If you can dream it, our team is ready and waiting to work with you to make it a reality. From the menu and cocktails onboard, to the soundtrack and lighting, your individual preferences can be incorporated into your journey to create your definitive ultimate adventure.

Have questions?

Your experience is highly customizable—if you can dream it, our team is ready and waiting to work with you to make it a reality. From the menu and cocktails onboard, to the soundtrack and lighting, your individual preferences may be incorporated into your flight.

A first look at the Space Lounge

David Grutman, globally renowned hospitality innovator and entrepreneur, is joining the company as Experience Curator to advise on the end-to-end experience for Space Explorers, from arrival at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, to in-flight and post-landing.

“I am beyond excited about advising Space Perspective on the Space Lounge experience,” said David. “We really want to make this transformative. The world class team at Space Perspective is on a mission to change people’s perception of what adventure travel can be. We have so many ideas on how we can customize the journey – from birthday celebrations, and corporate getaways, to creating seminal moments that will capture the imaginations of all.”

David Grutman is particularly known for creating immersive experiential venues with distinct atmospheres, infusing high energy and transportive luxury across a one-of-a-kind portfolio of restaurants, hotels, bars, and nightclubs.

Grutman—himself a native Floridian—has built his name in the Miami area, where his firm, Groot Hospitality, owns the restaurants Komodo, Swan, Bar Bevy, OTL, Papi Steak, Strawberry Moon, Sushi Fly Chicken, and The Key Club; the nightclubs LIV at Fontainebleu and Story; and The Goodtime Hotel. Future openings include the resort Somewhere Else, on Atlantis Paradise Island in The Bahamas.

Outside of hospitality, Grutman also pursues additional business and personal interests. He is the creative director and co-owner of Prince, the athletics and lifestyle company. Additionally, Grutman teaches a guest class at Florida International University called “The David Grutman Experience.” The seminar focuses on what it takes to conceptualize and create a leading hospitality platform. He has also guest lectured at the prestigious School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, and Harvard Business School.

Globally renowned hospitality innovator joins Space Perspective as Experience Curator

Hall of Fame Astronaut and Senior Technical Advisor to Space Perspective, Jeff Hoffman, talked with Jane about his time in space and the impact that had on him.

I always remember my first Extra Vehicular Activity on my first flight. After going out the airlock I floated over to the toolbox, face down towards the Shuttle and thinking to myself, “This is really like in the water tank, that is really good training.” I put all the tools on my tool carrier, and I turned around, and there was Earth and the black sky. “I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore, Toto,” I thought. What a revelation. You see the curvature of the Earth, and all of a sudden you get that flash of what I call planetary consciousness, what some call the overview effect.

Flying over areas I was not familiar with was always fascinating, like the Arabian Peninsula, and seeing endless sand dunes as far as the eye could see. The colors of the Caribbean are spectacular. Sunsets and sunrises are something that you need to be prepared for. Up above most of the atmosphere it’s incredible to see them with the black sky. Those were the days when we used film in our cameras, and I’ve been told that when people finished developing the film, and saw that half of the frames were sunrises or sunsets they said, “Oh, Hoffman must have been on that flight!” Seeing clouds, big cumulous clouds from the top was fascinating. Joni Mitchel’s song, “I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now,” was one of my favorites.

Then of course there are the less pleasant aspects of seeing human impacts on the planet. Flying over regions where there was so much smoke from coal fires that you couldn’t see the ground.

Everybody asks if the experience changed me. I’m an astronomer and I know the Earth is a planet. But it’s the difference between knowing something intellectually and actually experiencing it. Read all you want about the geology of the Grand Canyon and look at pictures of it, when you go there and stand at the bottom of the canyon looking up through hundreds of millions of years of geology, it’s an overwhelming experience. That is what it was like. We were well prepared. I had a good idea of what I was going to be looking for, but seeing pictures and knowing something intellectually is just not the same as experiencing it for yourself.

Humanity has advanced through geographic and scientific exploration to expand human knowledge and understanding. Exploring space also expands human experience and helps us appreciate what it means to be inhabitants of a planet in our solar system. In one or two hundred years from now we are going to make the Moon part of the Earth’s economic sphere, just like we’ve made Earth orbit part of the Earth’s economic sphere now. Just like you most appreciate your home after you have left it for a while, leaving the Earth is one of the best ways to appreciate what our planet does for us.

Outside the window there is an environment that is not survivable for human beings. And in fact, most of the universe is very hostile to any form of life. We spend our life in a very hospitable place here on earth. It gives you an increased appreciation of how unique the earth is and what we get from it. Ask people if we live on a finite planet, and intellectually they will say, yes. But when you actually go up and experience looking at the planet… The Explorers who go will be very fortunate. If they can internalize the experience, and talk about it with others, the media, that’s important. They are the ambassadors of Spaceship Earth.

Astronaut Jeff Hoffman reflects on his time in space and his altered perspective.

Space Perspective partners with individual artists and arts organizations from around the world that one would not think as traditionally being involved in human spaceflight. We launched our first in a series of robust collaborations with artists, students and other creators.

, the inaugural art guest collaborator, created 

, the largest art installation ever to travel to space, which it did on a Neptune test flight in 2021. Echoing the shape of Spaceship Neptune’s capsule and the appearance of a jellyfish, the installation represented a shared mission to amplify the essential biodiversity and interdependency of all living organisms - specifically hidden ocean life rarely included in the story of life on planet Earth.

Carried inside Living Light, a DNA capsule comprised three art pieces by each of the artists of Beyond Earth. In a message “To Space, from Earth,”  each work was converted to DNA and stored inside a metal vial. The timelessness of the DNA vial contrasts with the transitory nature of 

 journey, a metaphor for human life on Earth. Upon returning to Earth, the DNA will have changed - reconfigured - echoing the human experience of seeing Earth from the perspective of space.

“We are thrilled to connect our deep fascination with the ocean biome to space exploration, drawing parallels between aquatic and aeronautic explorations,”

 Richelle Gribble, Elena Soterakis, and Yoko Shimizu.

Beyond Earth flies the largest art installation ever flown to space on Neptune. 

. – Space Perspective, the Earth’s leading luxury spaceflight experience company, today began accepting cryptocurrencies – including Bitcoin, Ethereum and many others – as payment to reserve a flight on Spaceship Neptune. 

, customers can now select crypto as a payment option and will be directed to Coinbase.com to safely and securely complete their transaction – a first in the commercial space flight industry. 

“Space Perspective is revolutionizing space tourism, and that includes offering our customers the ability to reserve their once-in-a-lifetime journeys to space via crypto,” said Taber MacCallum, Founder, Co-CEO and Chief Technology Officer of Space Perspective. “The flexibility to pay with crypto is another opportunity for us to differentiate the Space Perspective experience, and we are proud to lead the industry by accepting Coinbase,” he continued.

Space Perspective is also partnering with Cool Effect to offset the carbon footprint of its logistics operations including Spaceship Neptune flights. The company will be contracting with a third party to calculate the offset each year.

“Every aspect of a Space Perspective flight is radically gentle, and that includes our impact on the environment. Spaceship Neptune is the only carbon neutral, zero-emission way to space, and our partnership with Cool Effect will allow us to offset the operations of our carbon footprint each year while contributing to a cleaner planet tomorrow,” said Jane Poynter, Founder, Co-CEO and Chief Experience Officer of Space Perspective.

In Q4 2021, Space Perspective announced a historic $40 million Series A financing round, the largest for a human SpaceBalloonTM company to date, bringing the total amount raised to $48 million. Space Perspective also announced Florida’s Space Coast Spaceport in Titusville as the location for the company’s worldwide campus and manufacturing complex along with plans to hire approximately 240 full-time permanent jobs by the end of 2026. The company has already expanded its headcount by more than 50 percent over the past year and has filled key leadership positions in recent months.

Space Perspective, founded in 2019, was created to provide a transformative opportunity to view planet Earth from space. The company’s Spaceship Neptune will fly eight passengers and a pilot to the edge of space and back in a climate-controlled, pressurized capsule propelled by a high-performance 300-foot diameter SpaceBalloon. The six-hour flight offers views of the curvature of the Earth against the blackness of space from an altitude of over 100,000 feet (20 miles/30 kilometers). Space Perspective’s Spaceship Neptune’s flight path includes a gradual and gentle two-hour ascent at 12 MPH, rising to 100,000 feet (a suborbital climb, topping out above 99% of the Earth’s atmosphere). Gliding at apogee for up to two hours, the spaceship then makes a similarly gradual, two-hour descent to Earth before gently splashing down in the ocean, where a ship retrieves the passengers, the capsule, and the SpaceBalloon.

Commercial flights are targeted to begin in late 2024, with more than 500 tickets sold to date. With the first year of seats completely reserved, Space Perspective is currently taking reservations for 2025 and beyond. Tickets are priced at a market-beating $125,000 per person, and bookings are made with a fully refundable deposit beginning at $1,000. Entire capsules are also available for reservations (up to eight guests and a pilot). Space Perspective’s human spaceflight launches are regulated by the FAA Office of Commercial Spaceflight.

Space Perspective is the world’s first luxury spaceflight experience company. It invites more people than has historically been possible to experience a thrillingly new and visceral perspective that expands the human consciousness – the incredibly exhilarating panoramas and scale of Earth in space. The Observer cited Space Perspective as “the best suborbital space tourism offering in the world.”

Space Perspective is led by industry luminaries Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum and their unique-in-the-world expert crew who have been integral to all human SpaceBalloon flights in the last 50 years. Building on that experience, the Space Perspective crew has innovated and patented the safest SpaceBalloon technology in the world. With the only technology enabling routine accessible flights to the edge of space, Poynter and MacCallum have been dubbed ‘Masters of the stratosphere’ by Bloomberg Businessweek. MacCallum also served as Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation.

The focus on taking care of the world we live in is nothing new to Poynter: over the years, she has led ground-breaking environmental projects for the United Nations and the International Space Station, including the development of the first carbon sequestration model of a mangrove forest that could be used to calculate carbon credits to provide additional income to the community. For more information, visit SpacePerspective.com. Follow Space Perspective for updates, 

Cape Canaveral, Fla. – Space Perspective, the Earth’s leading luxury spaceflight experience company, today began accepting cryptocurrencies – including Bitcoin, Ethereum and many others – as payment to reserve a flight on Spaceship Neptune. During the booking process, customers can now select crypto as a payment option and will be directed to Coinbase.com to safely and securely complete their transaction – a first in the commercial space flight industry. 

The only space tourism company accepting cryptocurrency

 today announced that its Neptune One spaceship test vehicle successfully launched from the Space Coast Spaceport, located adjacent to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The vehicle flew to its target altitude and traversed the Florida peninsula before splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico and being recovered. The historic 6 hour and 39 minute flight marks the first major step towards flying customers to space for an unrivaled experience and perspective of our world from space. 

Neptune One launched at 5:23 am EDT from the Space Coast Air and Spaceport and reached its planned altitude of 108,409 feet before executing a splashdown at the predetermined location 50 miles off the west coast of Florida. With this flight, Space Perspective became the first space launch operator to fly from the Space Coast Spaceport.

“I could not be more proud of the performance of the team and the flight system. It was spectacular to witness the teamwork and the high level of expertise yield such a successful result,” said co-CEO and founder Taber MacCallum.

Images of the flight launch can be found on the 

“It is an incredible privilege launching from the space coast, where the history of human spaceflight was forged over the past decades and continues to build momentum today. Flying on Spaceship Neptune will be an extraordinary experience for our Space Explorers,” said co-CEO and founder Jane Poynter.

Space Perspective flew a full-size capsule simulator with the same geometry as Spaceship Neptune’s capsule. All primary objectives of the test flight were met. Ultimately, the most important objective was the completion of a full flight demonstration, from prelaunch to recovery.

“This test flight of Neptune One kicks off our extensive test flight campaign, which will be extremely robust because we can perform tests without a pilot, making Spaceship Neptune an extremely safe way to go to space,” added MacCallum.

“Space Florida congratulates Space Perspective on today’s first test flight of its revolutionary spaceballoon capability, and for being the first space launch operator to fly from the Space Coast Spaceport, Florida’s newest spaceport. This flight highlights the reality of Florida again at the leading edge in space research, tourism, and commercial capabilities. We look forward to the coming milestones for Space Perspective as they prepare to take private citizens to space,” said Frank DiBello, president and CEO of Space Florida.

This test flight flew a number of payloads, including:

, an educational nonprofit that uses space to promote STEAM by partnering with astronauts and students, flew the winning projects of their recent science project competition for students grades 7-12. One experiment measured the sun’s magnetic field to confirm solar minimum, the time when the sun is least active. A second measured the effects of the space environment on memory materials that are made to hold a particular shape. Their payload also included winners of their current art competition, open to all ages, illustrating Space Perspective’s goal to show that exploring the world we live in and communicating the human experience is possible in ways that engineering and technology cannot.

 flew an ozone sensors instrument, developed by Dr. Nirmal Patel and his students’ team in the physics department, to test their innovative atmospheric science technology. This payload demonstrates to research organizations, NASA and other government entities that Spaceship Neptune is a valuable platform for research.

· In addition, two other technical partners, 

, provided engineering and meteorology tools in support of the test flight.

, founded in 2019, was created to make spaceflight more accessible to all, and to provide the thrilling opportunity to see Earth as a planet in space. Spaceship Neptune was developed from the onset for maximum safety, accessibility, near zero-emissions and routine operations around the world. The spaceballoon could hold an entire football stadium when inflated and the pressurized capsule is comfortable and spacious.

Flown by a pilot, Spaceship Neptune transports eight passengers, called “Space Explorers,” on a thrilling six-hour journey to space, along with research payloads. The two-hour gentle ascent above 99% of the Earth’s atmosphere to 100,000 feet, Spaceship Neptune glides above the Earth for up to two hours allowing passengers to share their experience via social media, with their friends and family. Spaceship Neptune then makes a two-hour descent under the spaceballoon and splashes down, where a ship retrieves the passengers, the capsule, and the spaceballoon. Spaceship Neptune’s commercial human spaceflight launches are regulated by the FAA Office of Commercial Spaceflight.

 to view the electronic media kit, including leadership headshots, conceptual imagery and video.

Space Perspective is the world’s first luxury spaceflight experience. It invites more people than has historically been possible to experience a thrillingly new and visceral perspective that expands the human consciousness – the incredibly exhilarating panoramas and scale of Earth in space. Our atmosphere stretches for 100s of miles into space, Spaceship Neptune flies above 99% of it.

Setting a new bar in out-of-this-world thrilling experiences, as soon as late 2024 Space Perspective will escort Space Explorers gently to space inside Spaceship Neptune’s pressurized capsule propelled by a high-performance spaceballoon that doesn’t use rocket fuel, where Explorers see the world anew through its vast windows. The ultra-comfortable, accessible and gentle six-hour journey redefines what space and wonder travel means for the modern traveler.

Based out of Kennedy Space Center, Space Perspective is led by industry luminaries Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum, and their expert crew who have been integral to all human spaceballoon flights in the last 50 years. Poynter and MacCallum have been dubbed ‘Masters of the stratosphere,’ by Bloomberg Business Week, and MacCallum served as Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. For more information, visit 

. Follow Space Perspective on social media for updates, 

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