zero2infinity, the first environmentally friendly experiential aerospace company, is developing bloon, a revolutionary system that will provide the private Space traveler with the most life-enriching and meaningful experience of Space. Led by an MIT engineer, a talented interdisciplinary team is developing a completely new solution to an age-old dream: contemplating the Earth from outside. Escrow deposits can already be made for a first commercial flight expected between 2013 and 2015, tapping into the emerging Private Spaceflight Market (sustained 30% yearly growth in 07-08) which is part of the exploding Experiential Travel industry.
There is a new Space race, but this time it is among private companies looking to build a viable business from the desire of individuals to “experience Space”. As an agile start-up zero2infinity will be among the first to offer such experience. We will provide the most enjoyable journey with an ideal 2 hours viewing time (compared to 7 min in suborbital at $200k or 8 days of orbital at $35M). Travelers flying on our bloon will experience all the benefits looked after in spaceflight (black starry sky in daylight, curved Earth, even a period of weightlessness) without any of the drawbacks that have limited so far the development of the private spaceflight industry (high acceleration, explosives, environmental pollution, small windows, extreme cost, complex training, use of protected military technology). Several recent developments make bloon possible today:
- Raised awareness about environmental and planet-wide causes.
- High-end travel designers incorporate space-related experiences in their portfolios.
- A growing backlog of private individuals having paid deposits to fly to Space.
- High spatial and temporal resolution short-term weather prediction.
- Improved guided parafoils and whole aircraft recovery systems.
- Lightweight and ultra-resistant composite materials.
- The affordability of many certified off the shelf components such as glass cockpits, communications, interior furbishing, etc.
- A track record of successful previous investments in this industry.
- The availability of highly motivated and skilled workforce that is tired of the failing large aerospace contractor/space agency programs.
bloon’s pod offers privacy in a shirtsleeve environment and, if so requested by the traveler, a fully bespoke experience. The airliner-like health guidelines greatly enlarge bloon’s appeal to travelers of any age and condition. bloon operates with zero polluting emissions. Scientists will place their instruments on the bloon to enhance the experience and make it valuable for protecting the same Earth that the travelers admire below. Our sourcing strategy allows for travelers of any nationality to book a flight on bloon, greatly expanding the market. zero2infinity’s main competitive advantage is 10 years of continued work on the topic by its Founder and CEO, José Mariano Lopez-Urdiales.
By the way, they have just raised funds to start the adventure. Congratulations!!!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWfzQ1YckUQ&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1]
Great to see the progress that Jose Mariano has made with the Bloon project. I have been following his progress since we met over 4 years ago at BAIE – Barcelona Aeronautics and Space Association – where Jose Mariano was the manager. Great video.