Sir Richard Branson has signed on to be the co-pilot of Space Perspective’s first space balloon flight sometime next year, which could be the the 74-year-old billionaire adventurer’s eighth Guinness World Record. His accolades range from earning the fastest time to cross the Atlantic in a boat (1986) to being the oldest person to ever cross the English Channel while kite-surfing (2012).
Branson also has a love of long-distance ballooning, so the Space Perspective trip should fit in his bucket list. He set a Guinness record in 1987 by crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a balloon, and then in 1991 by ballooning across the Pacific, from Japan to Canada. But there were also failures. One attempted crossing of the Atlantic ended with the balloon crashing into the ocean, and several round-the-balloon trips were unsuccessful.
Branson first crossed into space in 2021 aboard a Virgin Galactic flight.
Virgin Galactic
The entrepreneur has also been to space, or at least just over the line. In 2021, he was on the first commercial flight that crossed the Karmen Line aboard Unity—the first aircraft from Virgin Galactic, the space-tourism company that Branson founded in 2004.
How he was named co-pilot for a competitor may be due to the nature of the fledgling space-tourism industry. “He actually reached out and said he’d like to be a co-pilot on one of our first test flights,” says Michael Savage, Space Perspective’s acting CEO. “That means he’ll be going up with our cofounders Taber MacCallum and Jane Poynter.”
Branson’s experience in the Space Perspective capsule will be a bit different than his 1980s adventures.
Virgin Galactic/Space Perspective
“When I think about the most thrilling moments of my life, ballooning is right up there,” Branson said on Linked-In. “This will be the ultimate adventure.” Branson said he plans to “dust the cobwebs off” his ballooning license for initial test flights.
The Space Perspective founders say they have been “inspired” by Branson because of his early adopter status for high-altitude ballooning and commercial space travel. “We’re all competing for the same pool of clients, but we’re offering a very different experience that could be seen as complementary,” says Savage. “We almost think of our competitors as ‘friends.’”
The space tourism industry is indeed small, with about eight firms that range from Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and SpaceX that use rockets to transport paying guests at supersonic speeds, to five space-balloon start-ups that move at a much more leisurely pace. The night before Branson blasted off on his Virgin Galactic flight, SpaceX founder Elon Musk landed at Spaceport America in his private jet to pre-congratulate the Virgin founder for the next morning’s flight.
The space balloon and capsule aboard M/S Voyager.
Space Perspective
The Space Perspective flight, which will reach an altitude of 100,000 feet above the Earth, will be a much different experience than Branson’s previous ballooning flights, or the Virgin Galactic trip. It will be in a pressurized eight-person capsule, named Neptune, with large windows and recliners, along with a functioning head, for the 10-hour trip.
In September, Space Perspective completed its first successful unpiloted test flight, launching the capsule and 700-foot-long balloon from its waterborne launch ship, MS Voyager.
Branson has made an investment in Space Perspective, according to a statement. Savage notes the company has raised $100 million through a diverse group of investors. Commercial space flights are scheduled to start in early 2026, costing $125,000 for a seat. More than 1,800 reservations have been made.