Blue Origin, the commercial space exploration company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is expanding and possibly moving into the “balloon” factory formerly owned by now-defunct space tourism company Space Perspective.
According to Florida Today, Blue Origin is in negotiations with the current owners of Space Perspective to acquire a 700-foot-long facility located at Space Coast Regional Airport. The 49,000-square-foot fabric-walled factory features two 600-foot-long production tables, ideal for making really big balloons. But now, as the report points out, the site will likely help support “future manufacturing and bulk outdoor storage operations” for Blue Origin.
For Space Perspective, the sale of the facility marks an end to its fairly unique space tourism dream. The company’s space capsule, which was claimed to be the largest human spacecraft outside of the space station, was designed to be carried to the edge of space by a hydrogen balloon, giving passengers views of Earth from miles above. The company had planned to charge passengers $125,000 per trip but had also offered up free trips through a partnership with Oreo.
It would have given ordinary people the chance to fly to the stratosphere without having to endure the rigors of traditional space travel. But the company, which was founded in 2018, earlier this year received an eviction notice after falling behind in rent payments at its Florida facility. It also furloughed most of its 140 employees.
Now it looks like the balloon is officially popped, with Blue Origin stepping in to fill the vacuum.
But things haven’t been all smooth sailing for Bezos and company. Blue Origin last month announced a $600 million production expansion project at its Rocket Park campus at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Just a few days later, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded on the launch pad, causing a major setback for the company and raising several concerns from nearby residents.
