Now you can use Bitcoin to experience Zero Gravity, Coinbase partners with Zero-G
(Kitco News) - Zero-G is an airline company that offers a simulatedweightlessness experience to passengers at a fraction of the price compared toothers in the space travel tourism business. Not only is Zero-G dabbling inspace and science, the company is now accepting Bitcoin as payment for tickets.Describing the zero gravity experience, Matt Gohd, CEO of Zero-G said, "It isthe single most
unique experience a person could have."
Gohd spoke to Michelle Makori, Lead Anchor andEditor-in-Chief of Kitco News.
Gohd explained why Zero-G is offering its customers theoption of paying with Bitcoin. "We have partnered with Coinbase, in dealingwith the crypto space. Our consumers will be able to purchase tickets withBitcoin to start, and then pay with other cryptos as we become more comfortablewith them," he said. "Depending on where Bitcoin is in the price cycle, whichchanges frequently, we may stay long for a little while, and then turn the restinto cash."
"But more importantly this is to give our consumers theoption to pay and buy things with cryptos that they own," Gohd added.
Gohd said he sees a convergence with the cryptocurrencyspace and space tourism. "We have been providing zero gravity experiences for awhile. Our concept is not new, but the adaptation to space tourism is new. The audiencethat is interested in Zero-G uses Bitcoin to transact," he emphasized. "They preferto go into their digital wallet and send us Bitcoins to buy a ticket, ratherthan charge it on their credit card."
Space tourism market heats up
Passenger space travel competition has heated up among newcarriers as more players have gotten into the space tourism market. It grewsignificantly this year with billionaires Richard Branson of Virgin Galactic,and Jeff Bezos of Blue Origin, both launching trips to the edge of space withpassengers that for the first time were not trained astronauts.
Gohd explained how the space tourism market is broken downinto a couple of pieces. "One is what we call sub-orbital, which goes up to theedge of space, not leaving the earth's orbit," he said. "They include BlueOrigin, Virgin Galactic, and us - Zero Gravity."
"There's also World View, which takes you up in a balloonabout a hundred thousand feet, and Space Perspectives, a similar idea. If youwant to do more, there's Elon Musk's SpaceX or Axiom, that works closely withMusk," he continued. "That price tag is a little more daunting. It's about $60million to visit the International Space Station for around 10 days. And peopleare doing it."
The price of the Zero-G experience is $7,500 for a ticket,which is much more reasonable than Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin and SpaceX."Right now, to fly on the Virgin Galactic, a rocket powered glider that isdropped from a plane at about 50,000 feet, and goes straight up and down - thecost is $450,000," he said. "Blue Origin goes straight up in a rocket. You'rein a capsule, the capsule separates, you get zero gravity at that point. It'sabout a $3 to $4 million experience."
Zero-G is not just fun and games with big focus on science
Referring to William Shatner travelling to space earlierthis week, and how much fun this experience is -- Gohd also spoke about theserious side of the business that is focused on science. "As fun as it is tocreate this amazing experience where people dream of being an astronaut ordream of what it feels like to be in space, half of our business is science,"he emphasized. "We work closely with major universities, and with NASA.Creating experiments in a microgravity environment is very important, becausethere is no other way besides going into space to see how fluids react or howsolids change density. And that is a little price prohibitive."
"We can create environments on the plane, including whatit's like to be on the moon, which is known as lunar gravity. We can bring up apayload with a computer and see hands on -- how things work," Gohd added.
For more on Gohd's views on the space tourism market, please watch the full video above. Follow Michelle Makori on Twitter:@MichelleMakori
By Kitco NewsFor Kitco News
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