lyfe kitchen is an american fast-food restaurant chain operating in california , texas , colorado , illinois , nevada , and tennessee .

the company 's name is an acronym that stands for " love your food everyday " .

lyfe was founded in 2011 by mike roberts , the former global president of mcdonald 's , stephen sidwell , and mike donahue , mcdonald 's former chief of corporate communications in palo alto , california .

the company plans to open up to 20 locations during 2015 .

in 2013 , the " lyfe kitchen retail " division was launched to sell a number of transfat-free frozen entrees through target , publix , safeway , amazon , and other outlets .

the division was renamed " luvo " after being bought by its current ceo , former lululemon ceo christine m. day .

the company is reportedly planning an ipo .

lyfe kitchen

lyfe kitchen culver city offers bicycle deliveries , catering and online ordering to take the food from lyfe ' s kitchen directly to yours .
the estimated buildout cost for a lyfe kitchen unit is about $ 1 . 5 million , including kitchen equipment .
donahue says 97 percent of lyfe kitchen orders are on the table in less than 10 minutes . he calls lyfe kitchen a hybrid of fast casual and fine dining .
lyfe kitchen to offer locally sourced , preservative - free dishes at new citypark development .
in addition to the restaurant , lyfe kitchen river north will offer full catering and delivery .
ceo mike roberts , along with the first lyfe kitchen owner operator carey cooper , his lyfe kitchen chicago team , local dignitaries , lyfe kitchen executive chef art smith , chicago legend and local supplier bill kurtis , and alderman brendan reilly cut the symbolic ribbon of brussels sprouts to mark the grand opening .
lyfe kitchen , 248 w . 55th st . , nr . eighth ave . ; no phone yet
i had a phenomenal experience earlier today at lyfe kitchen . i ordered a gluten - free veggie flatbread…
the restaurant ' s standards require all dishes contain fewer than 600 calories , according to lyfe kitchen .
lyfe kitchen features every dietary plan , offering dishes aligned with vegan , gluten - free and vegetarian preferences .
“the lyfe kitchen mission is to ensure you love your food everyday , so we are constantly challenging ourselves to create dishes that get people excited about eating well , ” said art smith , executive chef of lyfe kitchen .
lyfe kitchen offers a vegan and vegetarian menu , a gluten - free menu , and a flexitarian “everything” menu .
“we are so happy to open the doors of lyfe kitchen in our hometown of chicago , ” said mike roberts , ceo of lyfe kitchen . “chicagoans are great foodies , and they reward restaurants with great taste . that’s what we hope to deliver with lyfe kitchen . ” alderman brendan reilly remarked , “it is a pleasure to welcome lyfe kitchen to the neighborhood and i am sure it will enrich the river north experience for residents and visitors alike . ”
new standards in sustainability at lyfe kitchen , as much emphasis is placed on where you eat as what you eat . lyfe kitchen is the first restaurant group to commit to certifying all restaurants under the leed retail : commercial interiors rating system .
, says health - focused fast casual chains like lyfe kitchen will be the next biggest growth opportunity in the restaurant industry .
lyfe kitchen’s “sausage” and mozzarella ravioli . photo by the conscientious omnivore ( cc by - nc - nd 3 . 0 )
a tofu taco from lyfe kitchen , buffalo “wings” with ranch dressing from veggie grill and veggie grill ' s “cheeseburger” on kale .
lyfe kitchen’s 272 s . main st . location is undergoing a renovation and will reopen in early 2017 . - memphis business journal
just shy of a year after its initial debut , lyfe kitchen at the chisca on main is closed for a “transformation . ”
lyfe kitchen opens in east memphis aug . 6 , stages preview of food and drinks for reporter meagan nichols . - memphis business journal
lyfe kitchen ' s local growers and vendors assist in providing customers with great - tasting , fresh , high - quality food , while mitigating the overall environmental footprint . following the grand opening event , lyfe kitchen donated remaining produce to local charity , chefs to end hunger .
“we believe lyfe kitchen is a response to one of america’s most significant unmet needs : the consumer’s demand for delicious , affordable food that is good for you , ” said mike roberts , lyfe kitchen’s founding chief executive officer and now a member of the board of directors .
a stroll through the kitchen at lyfe reveals fresh fruits and vegetables , grass - fed beef and free - range chicken . what you won ' t find at lyfe kitchen is also notable—no preservatives , no high fructose corn syrup , no deep fryer , not even a microwave .
lyfe kitchen has an overwhelming variety of fresh - squeezed juices and infused drinks to try . the lemonade was especially gingery and tasted fresh .
west hollywood marks lyfe kitchen ' s 16th location in the u . s . as the brand grows and expands to meet customer needs .
the director of culinary for lyfe kitchen , chef faye greenberg , oversees menu development for the brand and lives out this motto of balance daily .
michael donahue , co - founder of lyfe kitchen , wants to convert customers “who have always thought healthy food has to taste like straw . ”
lyfe kitchen also offers catering , online ordering , and takeout , which donahue says is already a very significant part of sales in older restaurants .
lyfe kitchen serves breakfast , lunch , and dinner , with an all - day per - person check average between $ 8 and $ 12 .
after a long stint as president and coo of mcdonald ' s corporation , mike roberts is launching lyfe kitchen , a socially - responsible brand that .
“lyfe kitchen was created to fill a need we are all seeking in our busy lifestyles , ” said chance carlisle , president and ceo of lyfe kitchen . “our restaurant provides the benefits of mindful eating to everyone in our communities through meals that incorporate wholesome ingredients , thoughtful preparation and enticing flavors . ”
in 2011 , with more than 100 investors , they opened the first lyfe kitchen ; now they simply refer to mcdonald’s as “the old place . ”
sustainable cuisine slated for brentwood lyfe kitchen to offer locally sourced , preservative - free dishes at new citypark development . check out this story on urltoken urltoken
whether it’s in our newly renovated vintage dining room or outside on the spacious patio , the new lyfe kitchen + chisca bar just became your new spot .
lyfe kitchen cofounder and chief brand officer mike donahue says the growing concept offers convenient , affordable , great - tasting food that just happens to be healthy .
“roberts is intense , ” says mike donahue , the former mcdonald’s chief communications officer who now fills the same role at lyfe kitchen . “he’s a maniac . ”
lyfe kitchen kicks off 2016 with continued expansion . the premier “fast - fine” restaurant expands in playa vista , making california the company’s largest market area it serves .
, president and ceo of lyfe kitchen .
with this in mind , we are making long - term technological investments to provide that expected user experience .
a restaurant’s design is a large factor of importance for the success of any brand . lyfe kitchen , as recently featured in this qsr article , living the lyfe in quick service , truly embodies the essence of restaurant design with a purpose .
relax and unwind on the best patio in memphis ! enjoy your favorite lyfe kitchen entrées and even wider assortment of drinks from our expanded in - house chisca bar .
the warm and inviting ambiance of the restaurant aims to appeal to all five consumer senses , making lyfe kitchen a respite from active daily life . the sixth sense is our commitment to the highest standards in environmental responsibility . from sustainable building materials , patio furniture made of recycled milk and juice cartons , bamboo tables and salvaged sequoia wood community table , lyfe kitchen seeks to model and inspire environmentally responsible practices . working closely with sustainable builders shangri - la construction , all new lyfe kitchen locations , beginning with
the love your food everyday ( lyfe ) brand was founded in palo alto , california , in 2011 . the memphis - based carlisle corp . purchased a stake in lyfe kitchen in 2014 and moved the restaurant company ' s headquarters to memphis .
two former mcdonald ' s executives are trying to bring kale , quinoa , and other upscale foods to the masses with a health - conscious restaurant chain called lyfe kitchen .
lyfe kitchen ceo mike roberts speaks with palo alto patch about his vision for the new ' lyfestyle ' brand , which opens its first restaurant in palo alto in august .
the first lyfe kitchen was located in health - conscious palo alto , california . after using that store as an incubator for two years , a second lyfe kitchen opened in culver city , california , in 2013 . since then , the concept has expanded in california and moved into texas , new york , colorado , nevada , and illinois .
about lyfe kitchen lyfe kitchen is committed to the idea that great - tasting food can also be good for you , affordable and convenient . with choices to please anyone , from flexitarian to vegetarian , omnivore to vegan , our celebrated chefs have developed a menu that is as delicious as it is inspiring . using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible with the highest standards of quality and adhering to the highest level of socially responsible practices , lyfe kitchen is creating a new category of lifestyle restaurant . visit urltoken for more .
lyfe kitchen believes that good food plays a big role in enhancing the quality of our lives . the menu philosophy is centered on a trifecta of elements to creating mindful meals :
lyfe kitchen , which stands for love your food everyday , plans to provide a preservative - free menu filled with locally sourced and sustainable ingredients for breakfast , lunch and dinner .
as lyfe kitchen restaurant opens in chicago , local suppliers will play a critical role in providing the freshest products possible throughout the year . lyfe kitchen has formed partnerships with local vendors who share the same passion and social responsibility beliefs to provide high - quality , great - tasting food and beverages , which allow a new audience to “love your food everyday . ”
members of the lyfe kitchen team celebrate the opening of their restaurant in chicago . owner operator and highland park resident carey cooper is pictured in the center of the photo along with lyfe founders mike roberts on the far left and mike donahue on the far right .
on tuesday , she announced that she ' ll take the helm at luvo , formerly lyfe kitchen retail , a healthy foods start - up backed by derek jeter and jennifer garner .
at lyfe kitchen , we believe good food plays a big role in enhancing the quality of our lives . making thoughtfully sourced , freshly prepared , epically flavored dishes available - and …
lyfe kitchen ' s commitment to social responsibility extends from its menu to the restaurant itself . its locations are leed - accredited and interiors feature tabletops and chairs made from recycled material .
mr . bringardner said , “chefs and restaurants have a responsibility to nourish . we have to educate and inform , build trust and confidence , and change the perception of healthy eating . here at lyfe kitchen , we are trying to inspire ‘lyfe - long’ habits . ”
lyfe kitchen menu staples include sweet corn chowder , the quinoa crunch bowl salad , a vegan garden burger , and a grass - fed beef burger . there are flatbreads with various toppings , fish tacos made with grilled mahi mahi , and art’s unfried chicken , a crispy chicken breast that’s air - baked instead of fried . there are no fryers on the lyfe kitchen premises .
lyfe kitchen , which is to open a new york city branch this fall , brought in more than $ 3 million in its first year at one store in palo alto , calif .
lyfe kitchen ' s second restaurant will open in culver city in january . a restaurant in tarzana will open sometime in the spring . next—cupertino and mountain view , with chicago also being scouted .
luvo began as
lyfe kitchen
last year as the retail arm of lyfe kitchen , a restaurant chain serving healthy meals that launched in 2011 . luvo meals , which are free of artificial ingredients and transfats , are available at more than 6 , 000 locations of several large retailers , including target , publix , safeway , fred meyer , shoprite , amazon and hsn . com .
the first lyfe kitchen restaurant in the memphis area opened in the former sharky’s gulf grill space at 6201 poplar ave . in august of 2015 . the downtown spot opened in february of 2016 .
donahue , a former mcdonald’s executive , started lyfe kitchen in 2011 with former mcdonald’s coo mike roberts and stephen sidwell , a former executive at gardein , a plant - protein food producer . in 2014 , carlisle corporation , a memphis , tennessee–based wendy’s franchisee , became a minority stakeholder . carlisle corporation president chance carlisle became ceo of lyfe kitchen , and its corporate headquarters relocated to memphis .
a hallmark lyfe kitchen element , the iconic herb wall represents the flavorful herbs and spices found in the great - tasting meals guests enjoy . as an indication of their commitment to the core message of sustainability , lyfe kitchen culver city partnered with harvest to home to install a hydroponic wall that grows more than 60 , 000 micro greens , including arugula , red russian kale and bok choy .
mr . bringardner listed lyfe kitchen’s standards , which include microwave - free kitchens ; monosodium glutamate - and bioengineered organism - free ingredients ; and no butter , cream or high - fructose corn syrup .
bloomberg businessweek reports that lyfe kitchen ( an acronym for love your food everyday ) is set to open roughly 10 new restaurants around the country next year in cities that include chicago and new york .
according to a post on the company’s facebook page , lyfe kitchen’s 272 s . main st . location is “undergoing a transformation and we’ll be unveiling new flavors and design elements in early 2017 . ”
lyfe kitchen :
simply put , the decision was made to focus resources on the development and market presence of our top - performing restaurants in the area , while we continue to explore the right locations for future expansion ,
lyfe senior brand manager robert griffin said in a statement .
those are just the company - owned restaurants . lyfe kitchen is also unveiling a franchise model that emphasizes assigning a territory to franchisees . the company began accepting inquiries through its web site just last week .
you know a restaurant ' s good when lunch patrons are lined out the door before the clock strikes noon . that was the case thursday as a crowd gathered at lyfe kitchen on hamilton in palo alto .
on our recent west coast trip , j , i and the friends who hosted us in the bay area ( thanks again , v & e ! ) had lunch at lyfe kitchen . i first learned about the restaurant from an article by mark bittman that i blogged about as our trip got underway . in his piece on whether good fast food might be possible , bittman describes the lyfe kitchen concept and team :
but the “h” word is what sets lyfe kitchen apart . every menu item weighs in at less than 600 calories and less than 1 , 000 milligrams of sodium . donahue says lyfe kitchen replaces sodium , cream , butter , and sugar with natural ingredients . the vegetables served are organic when commercially available and local whenever seasonally possible . meats are free of antibiotics and hormones and are approved by the global animal partnership .
restaurants , guests can get their food faster with apple pay , making mobile payments secure , quick and convenient . lyfe kitchen plans to roll - out apple pay into all of its restaurants later this year .
members of the lyfe kitchen team celebrate the opening of their restaurant in chicago . owner operator and highland park resident carey cooper is pictured in the center of the photo along with lyfe founders mike roberts on the far left and mike donahue on the far right . ( posted by spgibson1 , community contributor )
. lyfe kitchen is committed to the idea that great - tasting food can also be healthy , affordable and convenient . with choices to please anyone , from flexitarian to vegetarian , omnivore to vegan , our skilled and celebrated chefs have developed a dynamic menu that is as delicious as it is inspiring . using ingredients with the highest standards of quality and social responsibility , lyfe kitchen is creating a new category of lifestyle restaurants .
and nationally through urltoken and home shopping network ( hsn . com ) . lyfe kitchen retail is featuring its line of frozen entrees , soups and frozen treats at natural products expo west , being held this week (
from their chef - driven dishes to a clear commitment to social responsibility , we can’t wait to welcome lyfe kitchen to the neighborhood . they’re coming to runway later this year and are making headlines left and right .
chuck imerson , a vice president at lyfe kitchen , says the plan of the restaurant founders is to create healthy food for the masses . does that sound grandiose ? consider this—lyfe kitchen ' s business structure resembles a major corporation as opposed to a mom and pop restaurant . the president and ceo of restaurants is mike roberts , former global president and coo for mcdonald ' s . a second president and ceo , stephen sidwell , oversees the grocery division . there are nine vice presidents . the chief brand & communications officer , mike donahue , was lured from mcdonald ' s . clearly , lyfe kitchen plans to rule america ' s food future .
visit urltoken for more information , and follow us on facebook : urltoken and twitter and instagram @ lyfekitchen . lyfe kitchen is also hiring at this location , including lyfe ambassadors , who greet and inform guests and guide them through the menu , to baristas and dining room specialists who make up the heart of the restaurant , to a full culinary team that creates the recipes developed by its award - winning chefs . about lyfe kitchen : lyfe kitchen is committed to the idea that great - tasting food can also be affordable and convenient . with choices to please anyone , from flexitarian to vegetarian , omnivore to vegan , our celebrated chefs including art smith , and jeremy bringardner have developed a menu that is as delicious as it is inspiring . using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible with the highest standards of quality and adhering to the highest level of socially responsibility practices , lyfe kitchen is creating a new category of lifestyle restaurants . photos accompanying this release are available at : urltoken urltoken
our customers here in palo alto will decide the trajectory of lyfe kitchen . obviously we believe that this need is one of the great unmet needs in the country . great tasting food that is also good for you .
using reclaimed wood and serving its meals on china , lyfe kitchen leads the way in leveraging interior design to claim the healthy territory . food preparation areas showcase ingredients where customers can confidently see the quality of the food .
as lyfe kitchen continues to grow , the team behind the restaurant concept hopes to make a positive difference in the lives of its guests by providing healthy dishes that not only taste incredible but also make each diner feel incredible .
lyfe kitchen recently called “the future of food , ” a transformational , socially responsible “lyfestyle” brand , today opened the doors to its first - ever franchise location at the corner of clark and hubbard in chicago’s river north section .
lyfe kitchen ( urltoken ) launched its first restaurant in palo alto , california , in 2011 . to date , the premier fast - fine restaurant chain has opened 20 locations across six states , including california , colorado , nevada , illinois , tennessee and texas . lyfe kitchen is committed to the idea that great - tasting food can also be healthy , affordable and convenient . with choices to please anyone , from flexitarian to vegetarian , omnivore to vegan , our skilled and celebrated chefs have developed a dynamic menu that is as delicious as it is inspiring . using ingredients with the highest standards of quality and social responsibility , lyfe kitchen is creating a new category of lifestyle restaurants .
yes , for the moment the only lyfe kitchen is here on hamilton avenue in palo alto . it opened less than a year ago as a sort of prototype . but imagine tens of millions of local , sustainable gourmet meals , served with the efficiency and economy that one expects from a national fast - food chain . such a feat of feeding has never before been attempted , and if lyfe kitchen succeeds , the results will reverberate far beyond our stomachs .
“our philosophy at lyfe kitchen is ‘eat good . feel good . do good , ’” he said to the group while standing in front of a wall with the painted scripted verse : the food policy that matters most is yours .
named one of the “hot concepts of 2014” by nation’s restaurant news , lyfe kitchen was selected for their emphasis on healthy eating and made - from - scratch freshness . we look forward to this refreshing addition to the playa vista community .
the downtown lyfe kitchen measures in at 3 , 700 square feet and includes an 1 , 800 - square - foot outdoor patio . when it first opened , there was seating for about 80 customers inside and 45 people on the patio .
with an ambitious , delicious menu and fast , friendly service , the restaurant has given me plenty of reason to come back . if lyfe kitchen is the future of fast - casual dining , then the future is in good , healthy hands .
develop an expansive variety of thoughtful recipes that include traditional favorites as well an extensive list of plant based dishes . lyfe kitchen standards require that all dishes contain fewer than 600 calories and 1 , 000 mg of sodium , with most containing much less .
roberts left mcdonald ' s six years ago and launched lyfe kitchen once his noncompete ran out in 2011 with about $ 15 million from 120 investors , according to businessweek . both oprah winfrey ' s former chef and nba player derek fisher are investors .
the food is prepared fresh and crafted with signature herbs , spices and house - made sauces . lyfe kitchen’s standards require that all dishes on the menu contain fewer than 600 calories and 1 , 000 mg of sodium , with most containing much less .
all of lyfe kitchen’s menu items contain fewer than 600 calories and 1 , 000 mg of sodium , with most choices containing much less . many feature plant - based proteins and most rely on herbs , spices , fruits and vegetables to deliver on flavor .
restaurant , the seventh in california , making southern california the company’s largest geographical market . situated in the heart of the runway at playa vista , the new restaurant offers the premier fast - fine dining experience that fans of lyfe kitchen have come to expect .
established in 1873 , cougle commission company is one of chicago’s largest family - based poultry processors . cougle will provide lyfe kitchen with the highest - quality , global animal partnership ( gap ) certified poultry products to make signature dishes like chef art’s unfried chicken .
an open kitchen allows customers to see their meal being prepared with fresh food—which also helps quell criticism if the wait times are slightly elevated .
/ prnewswire / - - lyfe kitchen , a leader in the fast - fine dining movement is excited to bring the latest technology to the table . this month it is launching the second phase of its technology innovations with the release of its new mobile app . the new app ' s features include the added convenience of remote ordering from any location , and the integration of the olo platform with a new mobile app through punchh , one of the restaurant industry ' s leading mobile loyalty and insights platforms . with punchh , the app allows for native , in - app ordering and will support a generous customer loyalty program to reward guests who visit lyfe kitchen . the app also features original blog content and news of lyfe kitchen happenings that will reach users through push notifications and e - blasts .
and for imerson , that ' s the whole point ,
i want guests to come taste great - tasting food from my kitchen .
from the site selection to the landscaping , the décor and furnishings to the high - efficiency kitchen equipment that guests may never see , dozens of measures are taken to ensure that lyfe kitchen operates as efficiently as possible . the result : dramatic reductions in the use of water , energy and other resources from floor to ceiling , front - of - the - house to back - of - the - house .
mike roberts , the former global president of mcdonald ' s , teamed up with stephen sidwell , who helped found the meat substitute gardein , and mike donahue , mcdonald ' s usa ' s former chief of corporate communications , to launch lyfe kitchen three years ago .
several of the healthy chain founders did time at conventional eateries . donahue of lyfe kitchen logged two decades at mcdonald ' s . the three founders of tender greens met while working at the luxurious shutters on the beach in santa monica , where two served as chefs .
in culver city , i visited lyfe kitchen ( that’s “love your food everyday” ; i know , but please keep reading ) . lyfe has the pedigree , menu , financing , plan and ambition to take on the major chains . the company is trying to build 250 locations in the next five years , and qsr has already wondered whether it will become the “whole foods of fast food . ”
since lyfe kitchen’s mission is to provide healthy , fresh and gourmet fast food , in a responsible way ( e . g . sustainability ) we wanted to convey that through the physical aspects of the restaurant . we are very proud to say that our head design consultant , margee drews , took this concept to the extreme when working with lyfe kitchen . using materials like recycled milk containers for the sofas and countertops constructed from reclaimed materials , are just a couple of innovative ways margee incorporated green , socially - responsible principles to restaurant’s interior design .
while chicago — where lyfe kitchen is based — will be home to the first franchise location , donahue said the company is eager to line up operators in colorado , in particular , where they feel the brand will be embraced by diners in cities like denver and boulder .
the three chefs began collaborating on the lyfe kitchen menu in the home kitchen of chef smith . together they spent more than a year on a taste quest to develop signature flavors and one - of - a - kind dishes . the diverse menu offers choices to meet any guest’s personal food policies , including menus for guests who eat everything , those who prefer or require gluten - free choices , or vegetarian and vegan options .
at lyfe kitchen , which plans to open up to 20 locations next year , waiters deliver meals ; diners order at the counter and then are handed a gps device so they can be easily located inside the restaurant . food is served on real china with flatware and glasses .
buedel fine meats and provisions has been providing chicago - area restaurants with the highest quality meats since 1907 . at lyfe kitchen chicago , buedel will provide the all - natural , humanely raised , grass - fed beef that makes our classic burger , in a word , classic .
lyfe kitchen serves burgers with grass - fed beef and decadent chocolate desserts , all under 600 calories . donahue said the company avoids pushing the uber - healthy aspects of its dishes — focusing on the tastiness of its kale banana smoothies , for instance , instead of highlighting the kale .
i had come to the artisanally fed vale of facebook and tesla to sample the first fruits of lyfe kitchen , a soon - to - be - chain of restaurants that might just shift the calculus of american cuisine . at lyfe kitchen ( the name is an acronym for love your food everyday ) , all the cookies shall be dairy - free , all the beef from grass - fed , humanely raised cows . at lyfe kitchen there shall be no butter , no cream , no white sugar , no white flour , no high - fructose corn syrup , no gmos , no trans fats , no additives , and no need for alarm : there will still be plenty of burgers , not to mention manifold kegs of organic beer and carafes of biodynamic wine . none of this would seem surprising if we were talking about one or 10 or even 20 outposts nationwide . but lyfe’s ambition is to open hundreds of restaurants around the country , in the span of just five years .
a pioneer in the fast - fine dining category , lyfe kitchen has created an elevated dining experience that caters to the active lifestyle and those seeking a healthy alternative to fast - food chains . the brand is proud to offer patrons a menu that is rich in variety and flavor – going beyond the simple dishes others create to offer lyfe kitchen guests beautiful meals with the ingredients they love most . this philosophy is what drives the company ' s motto of
feed . your . self . ,
communicating the belief that healthy eating is delicious , approachable and affordable .
in culver city , i visited lyfe kitchen ( that’s “love your food everyday” ; i know , but please keep reading ) . lyfe has the pedigree , menu , financing , plan and ambition to take on the major chains . the company is trying to build 250 locations in the next five years , and [ industry trade magazine ] qsr has already wondered whether it will become the “whole foods of fast food . ”
most lyfe kitchen locations are between 3 , 300 and 3 , 500 square feet , with seating for 100–110 guests inside and another 20 on an outside patio . there are several different types of seating , including couches , soft chairs , a community table area , and traditional tables and chairs .
it ' s the motto of lyfe kitchen , a new restaurant with an emphasis an environmental responsibility , slated to open at brentwood ' s citypark development . the permit for the 4 , 071 - square - foot restaurant is under review by city staff , according to the city of brentwood .
“we want to turn upside down everyone’s preconceived notions of healthy foods , ” he said . “we show you that healthy foods can be , first and foremost , delicious , as well as convenient , affordable , responsible , personal and an experience . these are the six truths about lyfe kitchen . ”
mr : truthfully the only thing i ' m thinking about now is opening palo alto and making sure that we execute on our promise , and beyond that our guests will tell us , you ' ve got to come here , you ' ve got to come here , we love lyfe kitchen .
the culver city restaurant that mark bittman visited was the company’s second ; the palo alto store i visited was the very first . they’re building company - owned stores and also pursing a mcdonald’s - like franchise model . franchisees will be glad for company support , since outfitting these restaurants isn’t cheap . ( kaufman’s article provides a good overview of the computer - choreographed system in the lyfe kitchen kitchen . ) as lisa jennings reports for the trade publication nation’s restaurant news ,
in fact , the benchmark for dishes at lyfe is less than 600 calories per serving and less than 1 , 000 mg of sodium .
lyfe’s signature brussels sprouts with butternut squash and cranberries . photo by the conscientious omnivore ( cc by - nc - nd 3 . 0 )
as we talked , donahue referred often to mcdonald’s , where he spent two decades as the chief communications officer . he started lyfe kitchen in 2010 with another mcdonald’s refugee , mike roberts , the former chief operating officer . ( roberts left his position at lyfe early this year , after the carlisle corporation became a major investor . ) at lyfe there are no dishes with more than six hundred calories or a thousand milligrams of sodium . one can eat quickly , but the restaurant has electrical outlets at every table , and the owners encourage people to stay as long as they like .
the first lyfe kitchen opened in palo alto four years ago . the company has since opened seventeen more , and plans to have sixty within a couple of years . like sweetgreen , lyfe spends liberally on the physical surroundings of its restaurants , which are modern and spare . customers can sit at reclaimed - wood tables on chairs made from recycled water bottles . it feels like the type of restaurant one might find in a high - end finnish department store . many of lyfe’s buildings are even well certified , which means they meet particularly high standards for air quality , water , and light .
chicago – opening its first location just a little more than three years ago in palo alto , calif . , lyfe kitchen , chicago , a socially responsible lifestyle restaurant chain , now has 13 locations spread across california , colorado , illinois , nevada and texas , and soon will be in new york city .
the brand is slated to open 10 more locations by the end of 2015 . donahue says the plan is to grow in existing markets as quickly as the infrastructure and supply chain , as well as the customers , allow . within those markets , lyfe kitchen will target locations in strong retail and restaurant areas .
lyfe kitchen is on target with its approach to feeding america , as its philosophies and business style complement findings from the culinary visions panel , chicago , a research and trend forecasting firm that explores a range of culinary topics with food industry professionals and consumers . it is a division of chicago - based olson communications .
lyfe kitchen chicago showcases the talent of chefs art smith , tal ronnen and jeremy bringardner’s with a trusted and thoughtful menu that features chef - inspired , delicious recipes , plant - based proteins , with all dishes containing fewer than 600 calories and 1 , 000 milligrams of sodium , with most choices containing much less .
aaron selverston : from mcdonald ' s to lyfe kitchen—that is quite a leap . of all the seemingly most improbable elements of this business plan , one might imagine it would be simply getting healthy food out to the masses . do you envision being able to scale something like this the way you scaled mcdonald ' s ?
lyfe kitchen’s farro - and - beet salad in the foreground , with the sweet corn chowder on the right , baby kale salad above , and the bottom of my glass of chia water just visible in the upper left corner , . photo by the conscientious omnivore ( cc by - nc - nd 3 . 0 )
fortunately , i ' m able to catch up with jeremy later , and we chat briefly about his role at lyfe and plans for the future .
project costs on the 6 , 000 - square - foot building totaled $ 1 . 1 million . hnedak bobo group was the architect . the poplar avenue site is the largest and first free - standing in the lyfe fleet . a second memphis lyfe is planned for the chisca in downtown memphis .
in celebration of its newest location , lyfe kitchen – playa vista will be hosting a community grand opening event on tuesday , feb . 9 , 2016 , from 10 : 30 a . m . to 2 : 30 p . m . open to the public , the event will showcase a brussels sprout cutting – which is the company’s culinary take on the traditional ribbon cutting . the event will also include special menu tastings , a lyfe water sample station and free giveaways throughout the day .
so the restaurant on hamilton is the beta site for lyfe and every diner a test subject . why here ?
we chose palo alto because it would be vocal ,
said imerson . all those times that someone at lyfe asked you about your meal—they were truly listening . listening , tweaking and perfecting .
( 2 cups ) mature kale requires the stems to be removed before serving . lyfe avoids this by using baby kale instead—prewashed organic greens from earthbound farm .
the founders’ decades of fast - food experience contributed to developing lyfe kitchen’s systems , processes , and brand , but the menu is chef - driven like that of a fine - dining restaurant . it features dishes created by art smith , former personal chef to oprah winfrey , as well as renowned vegan chef tal ronnen and executive chef jeremy bringardner .
what is offered are a variety of lyfe waters , eight local beers that sell for $ 5 and 10 wines on tap that start at $ 6 . cakebread chardonnay is $ 14 per glass or $ 50 a bottle . lyfe cocktails created by mixologist kim haasarud , founder of liquid architects llc , are also available .
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lyfe kitchen : the fast - casual chain with a wholesome food menu has closed its irvine spectrum center location after two years . a mall representative said the restaurant closed july 28 . lyfe has recently closed a few other locations in the los angeles area . “simply put , the decision was made to focus resources on the development and market presence of our top performing restaurants in the area , while we continue to explore the right locations for future expansion , ” lyfe senior brand manager robert griffin said in a statement . when asked if lyfe broke its lease , the irvine co . declined to disclose details . easther liu , chief marketing officer for irvine company retail properties , said in a statement : “our policy is not to disclose specifics of our leases . at this moment , we are not ready to announce a replacement . ”
but the heart of any restaurant is the kitchen , and at the heart of lyfe’s kitchen are four energy - saving cooking technologies . the turbochef impingement oven microwaves while also blasting hot air over the food at 60 miles per hour . “combi” ovens combine steam and convection cooking so the food crisps and moistens simultaneously . and instead of a stainless steel or cast iron griddle , lyfe uses one made of 1 - inch - thick chrome , which reduces the amount of heat lost . even the cheese melters save energy : when microswitches sense the weight of a plate , they immediately kick the burner into high gear . as soon as the plate leaves the melter , the machine turns itself back to low .
lyfe kitchen signed its first franchisee , l3 hospitality group , in 2013 and owner carey cooper has opened four chicagoland locations . but the better - for - you restaurant brand hasn’t added another franchise partner since . it was a conscious decision , said ceo chance carlisle , who joined the company in summer 2014 and found the concept in need of refinement .
intelligentsia coffee is one of chicago’s premier coffee providers . chicago magazine’s reader’s choice award recognized intelligentsia as the best locally roasted coffee and in 2011 chicago time out awarded them its “best local coffee roaster” award . their fulton street roasting works is home to three gothot roasters that turnout the hand crafted , delicious coffee that will be served at lyfe kitchen everyday .
lyfe’s innovations extend even to the dishwashing station , which features a system that captures steam , condenses it , and recycles the heat for the next wash . and while a typical dishwasher may use 1 . 5 gallons per wash , lyfe’s units use three - quarters of a gallon and sanitize without chlorine—a boon for local sewage systems .
lyfe kitchen is known for its use of state - of - the - art energy - efficient equipment , which is a key component of the systems that allow for the cooking of fresh food in house consistently . a turbo combine oven , for example , allows operators to turn out the concept’s signature brussels sprouts the same way every time , [ donahue ] said .
lyfe , love your food everyday , is a lifestyle restaurant . lyfe kitchen combines natural ingredients with sustainable practices and delicious flavor profiles enhanced with spices and herbs to fuel and satisfy . all dishes are preservative and additive free and contain less than 600 calories and less than 1 , 000 mg of sodium . we aim to fulfill the need for delicious food that is convenient , affordable , and as important , good for you . for additional information , visit urltoken or call 310 - 507 - 7955 . for additional photos , visit urltoken .
lyfe gets relatively high ratings on yelp , and the new york times food critic mark bittman wrote last year that he tried the menu and
came away impressed .
lyfe kitchen , a pioneer in the “fast - fine” dining category , has created an elevated dining experience that caters to the active lifestyle and those seeking a healthy alternative to fast - food chains . the playa vista restaurant boasts nearly 4 , 000 square feet of warm and inviting dining space , including an outdoor patio for al fresco dining at its best . the brightly lit and casual yet cozy restaurant comes equipped with a three - head water tap dispensing ambient tap , chilled tap or chilled sparkling water to all guests . for those seeking something sweeter to sip , rather than sodas or high fructose beverages lyfe kitchen offers a series of infused waters called lyfe waters , blending fresh fruits , vegetables and herbs with agave , chia seeds and other ingredients to quench your thirst while invigorating your palate . those looking for adult refreshment can also enjoy a wide selection of beer and wine from some of the region’s top producers .
lyfe kitchen sells a grass - fed beef burger with 544 calories , 8 grams of saturated fat and 635 milligrams of sodium . but those watching their figures can opt for the marinated kale at a svelte 68 calories , 1 gram of fat and 74 milligrams of sodium . the quinoa crunch bowl contains 552 calories , 3 grams of saturated fat and 551 milligrams of sodium .
the company won ' t stay small for much longer , as this latest expansion shows . lyfe kitchen in march also launched a line of heat - and - serve soups to be sold in costco , according to the san francisco business times .
our plan is to grow as fast as we can ,
roberts ' partner stephen sidwell told the paper in march .
the team behind lyfe kitchen , which opened its first restaurant back in 2011 in palo alto , california , believes healthy , better - for - you food should not only be more accessible , but taste good , too . built on the premise that feeding your self should be feeding your whole being , the company continues to grow , providing healthier alternatives to fast food .
lyfe kitchen river north will feature a selection of eclectic and flavorful craft beers to complement its great tasting dishes . the line - up features selections sourced from some of the finest midwest brewers including tighthead brewing ( mundelin , il ) , hopothesis beer company ( chicago , il ) , revolution brewing ( chicago , il ) and boulevard brewing ( kansas city , mo ) .
without the fat , salt and sugar , many people doubt they will find the food at these establishments tasty . however , michael donahue , the co - founder and chief brand officer of lyfe kitchen confidently told the new yorker “…we need to attract the people who have always assumed that healthy food has to taste like straw . if they try it , we have them . ”
“lyfe kitchen is a pioneering lifestyle concept in chicago , ” said owner - operator carey cooper . “we can’t wait for chicagoans to visit us and experience what we have to offer : from the menu to the atmosphere to the hospitality of our team . we are thrilled to open our doors to the city of chicago and are excited to be part of the river north community . ”
the lyfe kitchen management team is made up of leaders , teachers , and doers . you lead with passion , you teach with patience , and you do good food every day . you’re a role model with a devotion to your team . lyfe’s mission and values align closely to your core and you embed them in your day to day lyfe . showing care and concern for your team and guests is a priority and you abide by the “we not me” mentality . your responsibilities include ensuring guest satisfaction that is personable , informative , accurate and memorable . you develop , direct , and oversee your team to attain sales and profit objectives . you also maintain the highest standards of quality food , beverage , service , cleanliness , organization , and sanitation .
a handful of rapidly growing regional chains around the country — including tender greens , lyfe kitchen , sweetgreen and native foods — offer enticements like grass - fed beef , organic produce , sustainable seafood and menus that change with the season . most promise local ingredients ; some are exclusively vegetarian or even vegan . a few impose calorie ceilings , and others adopt service touches like busboys and china plates .
unlike the sit - down bistros where gourmet food is generally prepared and served , lyfe sees each brussels sprout as merely a cog in a vast clockwork , a system that is set into motion as a customer approaches the counter , gives their name , and places an order . once that order is sent electronically to the kitchen , a cashier hands the customer a coaster . rfid strips beneath every table pick up the signal from the coaster and send it back to the kitchen . that’s how the runner—someone other than the person who took your order—knows where you are sitting , what you have ordered , and your name .
• the materials in lyfe kitchen are comprised of reused and rapidly renewable materials , regional materials , fsc certified wood and high levels of recycled content . • furniture includes indoor air quality air certification from green guard environmental institute and is upholstered with pvc - free material , reducing toxins in the air . • an interior hydroponic herb wall educates guests about sustainable food growth , while reducing water use for irrigation through recirculation . the live plants help to filtrate , improving the indoor air quality . • low - flow faucets with automatic timers & low - flush fixtures to help reduce the amount of water used by a minimum of 20 % - 40 % . • the use of low - voltage & led lighting , in conjunction with lighting controls in the lyfe kitchen restaurants , reduces energy usage by 35 % .
lyfe kitchen has a mission to go with its name ( an acronym for love your food everyday ) and motto ( eat good . feel good . do good . ) . each of its 10 restaurants , strategically distributed from california to illinois , has a wall of fluffy herbs growing in the dining room , serves only grass - fed beef , uses china instead of plastic and keeps all entrees under 600 calories .
combine this with a cozy , comfortable and inviting atmosphere and you’ve got a place where few would want to leave . read more about it here at qsr : living the lyfe in quick service
at the new chains , customers care deeply about what they put in their mouths . but high - quality products require expensive ingredients . lyfe kitchen offers a grass - fed steak for twenty dollars ; raising cattle on grass can take a year longer than raising livestock the conventional way , which makes the animals much more expensive to feed . mcdonald’s buys seven hundred million pounds of beef a year . no small group , no matter how popular , can compete with their prices , particularly if it stresses the quality of its ingredients . for places like lyfe kitchen and sweetgreen , it’s never easy to guarantee fresh produce , sell only humanely raised meat , and offer a wide variety of dishes , none of which exceed six or eight hundred calories . to offer those choices on a national scale will require an agricultural system that rewards regional farming networks .


zero 2 infinity is a private spanish company that operates high-altitude balloons to provide access to near space and low earth orbit using a balloon-borne pod and a balloon-borne launcher .

the company was founded in 2009 by aerospace engineer jose mariano lópez-urdiales , the current ceo .

it is headquartered in barberà del vallès , barcelona , spain .

zero 2 infinity has been testing high-altitude balloons and launching small payloads to high altitudes for scientific institutions and commercial firms for testing elements above most of the earth 's atmosphere .

their launch system has a significantly lower impact on the environment , an advantage over conventional systems .

the company 's pod named bloon may also be used for tourism .

as of late 2016 , its ceo had suggested that commercial flights could take place as early as 2019 .

zero2infinity

aviation expert dimitris bountolos was brought on as the coo of zero2infinity in september . image credit : zero2infinity
an artist ' s rendering of the bloon scientific outpost . image credit : zero2infinity
as the spanish team zero2infinity shows , space tourism is more than just rocket science .
new york ( zero2infinity pr ) — zero2infinity is now one step closer to manned flight : an agreement was just signed with final frontier design to buy a pressurized space suits .
unrolling zero2infinity’s polyethylene balloon , to be filled with helium . early balloons used explosive hydrogen .
her ' zero2infinity ' group recently launched an indiegogo campaign to raise funds for the project .
lluc palerm is the winner of sgac’s $ pace is business competition ( credits : zero2infinity ) .
zero2infinity , the company behind inbloon has already conducted successful near - space flights for scientific research missions .
bloostar , zero2infinity ' s dedicated small satellite launcher to put satellites in low earth orbit on demand .
barcelona , spain ( zero2infinity pr ) — after many years of friendship , an agreement was formalized between michael lópez - alegría and zero2infinity . the former nasa astronaut will advise the company in both technical and business matters .
an interesting concept for high - altitude flight from a barcelona company called zero2infinity . the website ncludes the following description :
barcelona , 5 october 2012 ( zero2infinity pr ) — zero2infinity , purveyor of near - space tourism , was announced today as a yearling winner of the 2012 bully award honouring europe’s leading startup companies as presented by white bull summits , champions of european innovation .
zero2infinity is one of two organizations hoping to use pressurized capsules suspended beneath helium balloons as a way to take tourists into near space .
zero2infinity is one of a number of companies eyeing new methods of low - cost , high - altitude flights to the edge of space .
zero2infinity announced on october 15 , their plans to begin micro - satellite launches to low - earth orbit by 2017 . ( credit : oiioo )
the zero2infinity bloostar launch vehicle . three stages will use a set of liquid fuel engines clustered as concentric toroids . ( photo credit : 0ii00 )
hundreds of people have already booked a ticket for virgin galactic’s spaceship two . how many people do you think will take a tour with zero2infinity ?
barcelona , spain ( zero2infinity pr ) — the high - altitude balloon company zero2infinity , based in barcelona , has received its first space suit , designed by american company final frontier design . this brings the company one step closer to crewed test flights , which should start later this year .
barcelona , spain ( zero2infinity pr ) — on friday , 6 september 2013 , zero2infinity performed a test flight of microbloon 3 . 0 from the airport of cordoba , spain . microbloon 3 . 0 is an inflatable pod manufactured by thin red line aerospace and ascended smoothly up to 27km .
león , spain , november 12 , 2012 ( zero2infinity pr ) — barcelona - based company zero2infinity has successfully launched its newest prototype , the microbloon 2 . 0 , to the edge of space at almost 32km in altitude , that is , above 99 % of the mass of the atmosphere .
q & a session between @ spacex cto and @ zero2infinity founders at @ starburstinnov selection committee at @ assembleenat . # talkingaboutrockets # newspace # space urltoken
the recently tested capsule carried a humanoid robot up to 32 kilometers and the zero2infinity team will be analyzing the data from the flight for the coming months .
zero2infinity’s test flight , on november 12 , 2012 , reached an altitude of 104 , 000 feet . from liftoff to touchdown , the test lasted four hours .
zero2infinity is one of two organizations hoping to use pressurized capsules suspended beneath helium balloons as a way to take tourists into near space . ( courtesy , cnn )
barcelona , spain ( zero2infinity pr ) — the spanish company zero2infinity , based in barcelona , known for its extensive near - space ballooning experience , announced it’s been working to expand its capabilities to include a nanosatellite launch vehicle , named bloostar , to offer reliable , dedicated , launch on demand for 21st century small satellites .
despite the intimate connection between world view and zero2infinity at the start , the competing capsules have differences in their designs . in addition to the two pilots , world view’s seats six passengers ; zero2infinity’s seats four . world view’s capsule resembles a truncated airplane fuselage , a tried - and - true approach to high altitudes ; zero2infinity’s is shaped like a doughnut , which allows the capsule to be reinforced in the middle so outward - facing passengers can gaze out the wraparound windows without turning their heads .
zero2infinity , the company behind the high - flying scientific bloon , has closed its next round of investments , and is restructuring slightly to make way for its newest project , bloostar .
the team at zero2infinity is moving forward with plans to offer extreme - altitude balloon rides , and recently sent a scale model soaring to an altitude of more than 104 , 000 feet .
josé mariano lópez urdiales , founder and ceo of the spanish startup zero2infinity , gave a presentation on thursday about the company’s bloostar balloon - launched smallsat rocket during the international astronautical conference in jerusalem .
barcelona - based zero2infinity aims to harness the same technology used in helium weather balloons to float its first clients to the edge of space within two years , according to ceo jose mariano lopez - urdiales .
zero2infinity is not talking to new investors at the moment , having already collected investments as well as gaining revenues from its ballooning business . lopez - urdiales said the company priced bloostar to be similar to the cost of a secondary payload , with customers instead getting to be the primary mission . if the market proves competitive , he said pricing could go down . zero2infinity also offers discounts for batches of launches .
zero2infinity pr — mr . artemy lebedev lives in moscow and is the founder of design company art . lebedev studio . he is one of the most successful web designers in russia and a prominent blogger .
the bloostar team : robert falco , mark rovi , dali gala , dani rc , josé mariano lópez urdiales , jose luis garcia bravo , iris silverio pons , dimitris bountolos and david jiménez . image credit : zero2infinity
unlike the test capsule , zero2infinity’s real one will have windows all around , and keeping them fog - free may be a challenge . the four passengers and two crew will have a 360 - degree view of earth .
# innovation , # creativity , # design , # montreal , # barcelona , # aerospace en una jornada inspiradora @ cosmocaixa # mtl _ ber _ bcnsummerschool2018 con prof . # armandhatchuel , @ zero2infinity y muchos más ! urltoken
once pressurized space suits are delivered , zero2infinity will evaluate them in some tests for the use in the first manned test flight in 2013 . we hope that this is the beginning of a long and fruitful collaboration with final frontier design .
the bloostar launch phases . zero2infinity intends to de - orbit the final stage to minimize their contribution to the growing debris field in low - earth orbit . their plans are to launch from a ship at sea . ( photo credit : 0ii00 )
“we really loved to be at tnw conference and to let people know about us” , shares marta lebrón gaset , communications and social networks manager at zero2infinity . space , a start - up that is on a mission to elevate our planetary consciousness by providing elevating experiences .
back in 2012 , when zero2infinity was the only outfit working on stratospheric tourism , the company talked to paragon about providing the life support system for its capsule . paragon surprised many by terminating the relationship , and a few months later began describing a product similar to zero2infinity’s : world view . annelie schoenmaker , who handles external relations for zero2infinity , claims there’s no bad blood about this—the company easily found another supplier—plus , the presence of competitors can be encouraging to investors . “it’s reassuring , ” she says ; “it means that people see that this is a real business , that this is something that really is a good idea . it would be worrying if nobody was copying you . ” she should be happy then that a chinese company recently announced that it will begin testing a capsule for stratotourism , though the announcement was light on details .
zero2infinity has spent their last six years since their formation focusing on their uncrewed scientific ballooning endeavors and gathering clients for their flight campaigns . their helium project , a crewed version of their commercial near - space balloon program , was recently awarded a phase 1 grant by the european commission .
we ' re currently tracking 11 products being used at zero2infinity . space , including products for analytics and business intelligence , software development , languages and frameworks , hosting , servers , networks and storage , security , email hosting and tools , content management system ( cms ) , and productivity .
zero2infinity has been operating high - altitude balloons since 2009 . flying technical , scientific and commercial payloads to over 30km altitude is its current operational activity . using balloons as a first - stage for a nanosatellite launcher is the logical and necessary next step to address this booming and underserved market .
ballooning is already tried and tested technology — “it’s the origin of space travel , ” explains annelie schoenmaker , external relations and legal officer for zero2infinity , a spanish company that plans to launch passengers to near space using balloons known as “bloons” for €110 , 000 ( $ 124 , 000 ) a time .
lopez - urdiales said zero2infinity had the notion of transferring this capability to launch small satellites from earth a while ago , but at the time there was not a sufficient market to support such a launch system . now , because of the significant uptick in small satellite activity , the company is pursuing bloostar .
world view and zero2infinity hope to counter unwanted motion with the parafoil design and perhaps extra systems , but that could get prohibitively expensive . “there are definitely some things that are doable , ” says nelson , “but how is that going to impact the bottom line ? what’s that going to add to the cost ? ”
clearly , the sky is not the limit for balloon launcher zero2infinity . based in barcelona , spain , the company announced this week their plans to launch payloads to orbit using a balloon launch system . the rockoon is a portmanteau , as lewis carroll would have said : the blend of the words rocket and balloon .
# emprendimiento , # espacio , # inspiración , # talento . . . así fue el lanzamiento de nuestra comunidad de # innovación en la que tuvimos la suerte de contar con @ jmlu77 , ceo de @ zero2infinity , una # startup española dedicada a facilitar el acceso a la # estratosfera . ¡no te lo pierdas ! urltoken
according to zero2infinity , this method may seem counterintuitive , but it means less drag , less fuel needed , and since the engines fire in a near - vacuum , there’s a much higher specific impulse because of higher engine efficiency . in all , the company says that costs are comparable to a secondary or
piggyback
payload launch .
bloostar has generated a healthy amount of interest from companies in the small satellite community . jose mariano lopez - urdiales , founder and ceo of zero2infinity , told via satellite the project already has letters of intent worth roughly $ 268 . 4 million ( 240 million euros ) , which constitutes enough demand to move forward with developing the system .
this test was a first for the aerospace industry , as zero2infinity is currently the only company using stratospheric balloons as a first - stage vehicle . and already , the company states that it has garnered its fair share of interest from leading satellite developers , claiming that they have “gathered upwards of 250 million euros in letters of intent for future launches . ”
if all goes to plan , after completing the stratospheric flight , he is already thinking about the development of high - altitude commercial flights with bigger aircraft to compete with balloon firms like zero2infinity and worldview . another idea is to create stratospheric solar drones to replace or support satellites . such drones are currently being developed by facebook and google , among others .
this test was a first for the aerospace industry , as zero2infinity is currently the only company using stratospheric balloons as a first - stage vehicle . and already , the company states that it has garnered its fair share of interest from leading satellite developers , claiming that they have
gathered upwards of 250 million euros in letters of intent for future launches .
one of the main objectives of zero2infinity’s project “bloon” , a manned high - altitude balloon , is to give the overview effect to the people flying it . during a google hangout organized by zero2infinity on march 5th , 2012 , about this emotional shift in perspective that is known as the “overview effect , ” lopez - alegria said : “the earth is covered by the atmosphere , which is analogous to the skin of an apple , that is pretty thin . even in a balloon flight , you’d be outside this boundary just about ; you’d be able to perceive what that’s like , and that just in itself , with the curvature and the blackness of the sky , will give a very strong sense of the bigger picture” .
meanwhile , the spanish company zero2infinity is making similar plans for near - space balloon flights , and hopes to begin piloted tests of its “bloon” next year . the barcelona - based firm started developing tourism plans in 2009 , before world view got into the game , and already offers commercial and scientific balloon flights to the stratosphere , for payloads weighing up to a ton .
founded in 2009 , the private aerospace company zero2infinity – which is headquartered in barcelona , spain – was created with the vision of delivering orbital payloads and providing space tourism on a budget . but unlike your conventional aerospace companies – i . e . spacex , blue origin , orbital atk , etc – their plan is to do it all using high - altitude stratospheric balloons .
reaching space in a balloon may sound like something out of a children’s book , but spain’s zero2infinity company doesn ' t think so . the barcelona - based company specializes in near - space balloon flights for scientific and engineering clients , and is working on a nanosatellite launch vehicle called bloostar , which uses a high - altitude balloon as a first stage and rockets for reaching orbit .
of course it’s all moot without paying passengers . maccallum says that many of the current ticketholders are business people or scientists . zero2infinity’s schoenmaker sees the time aloft as an opportunity for reflection . “you realize that the earth is very fragile ; it’s really a planet . and that’s our place in the universe , ” she says . “it changes your perspective . ” or so she imagines .
on march 1st , the zero2infinity team passed a major milestone , deploying a prototype “rockoon” craft from the national institute of aerospace technology ‘s ( inta ) facility in el arenosillo , spain . known as bloostar , this two - stage craft ( which consists of a balloon and a rocket ) is one of the latest technologies seeking to drastically reduce the costs of launching people and payloads into space .
zero2infinity is developing a liquid fuel engine that they emphasize is environmentally friendly . the first stage firing of bloostar will last 160 seconds , reach 250 km of altitude and an inertial speed of 3 . 7 km / s . this is about half the velocity necessary for reach a stable low earth orbit . the second stage will fire for 230 seconds and achieve an altitude of 530 km with velocity of 5 . 4 km / s . the 3rd and final stage motor will fire at least twice with a coast period to achieve the final orbit . zero2infinity states that their bloostar system will be capable of placing a 75kg ( 165 lbs ) payload into a 600 km ( 372 mi ) sun - synchronous orbit . in contrast , the international space station orbits at 420 km ( 260 mi ) altitude .
launching a satellite is a very expensive proposition when done the traditional way by hitching a ride aboard a commercial rocket . there are several firms out there that are working to make putting satellites into orbit cheaper and one of them is the barcelona based zero2infinity company . zero2infiity is known for near - space ballooning and has announced that it has been working on a launch vehicle capable of putting nanosatellites into orbit .
on november 12 the start up company zero2infinity successfully tested a balloon that should be able to carry passengers to an altitude of 36 kilometers by 2014 . during these balloon flights the space tourists could experience the near space environment with a breathtaking view of the earth ; furthermore , they could feel weightless like an astronaut . the balloon testing took place at an air force base near virgen del camino in spain .
zero2infinity states that it ' s already begun testing with a balloon flight in september of last year of an inflatable flexible pressurized vehicle to an altitude of 27 km ( 16 . 7 mi ) , which will form the basis of the launcher fuel tanks . in addition , the company test - fired a privately developed and funded liquid - hydrocarbon / oxygen rocket engine , which it says is a first for spain
on march 1st , the zero2infinity team passed a major milestone , deploying a prototype
rockoon
craft from the national institute of aerospace technology ' s ( inta ) facility in el arenosillo , spain . known as bloostar , this two - stage craft ( which consists of a balloon and a rocket ) is one of the latest technologies seeking to drastically reduce the costs of launching people and payloads into space .
the rockoon concept is not unlike what scaled composites undertakes with a plane and rocket . their whiteknight planes lift the spaceships to 50 , 000 feet for takeoff whereas the zero2infinity balloon will loft bloostar to 65 , 000 feet or higher . the increased altitude of the balloon launch reduces the atmospheric density to half of what it is at 50 , 000 feet and altogether about 8 % of the density at sea level .
zero2infinity’s primary business currently involves high - altitude ballooning for a variety of customers . lopez - urdiales said the company has been launching high - altitude balloon payloads for the past six years , and that many aspects of that business — trajectory modeling software , separation systems , termination systems , pressurized payloads and telemetry — share a fair amount of commonality with bloostar . the company is hard at work on the rocket today .
by the end of the year , zero2infinity is aiming to launch a balloon from the sea as well as to launch a rocket from a balloon . bloostar is planning missions from the canary islands , a spanish archipelago off the coast of morocco , using either a boat or a floating barge . lopez - urdiales said the company has launched big balloons from the ground using cranes , and has people on its team that have launched from sea , but as a company it has not attempted the combination . from the canary islands , lopez - urdiales said bloostar can reach almost any orbit and the wind conditions are typically calm and predictable . also , because zero2infinity is located in spain , the company can relocate the boat or barge to coastal areas with high demand , such as the u . s . or china , he said .
currently , the firm routinely takes scientific and commercial payloads to altitudes of over 30km via balloons . plans for launching small satellites will use these high altitude balloons as the first stage for a nanosatellite launcher . zero2infinity says that the tech to launch nanosatellites without having to hitch a ride with other missions doesn’t yet exist , but it has been working on its so - called orbital rockoon as a solution to this issue .
how is zero2infinity planning to use stratospheric balloons for “space” tourism ? there are many companies developing space tourism capabilities with rockets but we are proposing a totally different approach . since what people want to experience is the view from space , we want to use high - altitude balloons . four passengers and two pilots will smoothly ascend to around 36km . then they will experience a cruise of between one and two hours for descending with a guided parafoil .
zero2infinity just entered into an agreement with final frontier design and became one of the first in line to buy a pressurized space suits . the aim of ted southern and nikolay moiseev , the associates behind ffd , is to develop the next generation of space suits for the new commercial space industry . they have already made pressurized astronaut gloves and two complete suit prototypes and are now seking nasa flight certification ; they will start delivering suits in january 2013 .
the logic behind bloostar is that once the balloon carrying the payload reaches the stratosphere , it will have cleared more than 99 percent of the atmosphere , at which point a streamlined rocket can carry payloads the rest of the way to space . lopez - urdiales said the bloostar rocket component would have an order of magnitude fewer parts than something launched from sea level . by shedding this complexity , zero2infinity hopes to offer a unique and competitive dedicated smallsat launch service .
the zero2infinity ‘ bloostar ‘ launches nanosatellites from the stratosphere , by enhancing high - altitude balloons with rockets . the spanish company is known for its extensive near - space ballooning experience – such as the bloon – and will offer this new dispatch - on - demand technology by an estimated year of 2017 . the helium and batteries powered airship is used for the first stage , where after the rocket is ignited when it is above 99 % of the atmosphere .
at zero2infinity life has been full of small successes every day . one success that we remember fondly is when we launched our first rocket from the edge of space in march 2017 . the engineering team traveled to the south of spain , and from a vessel , they launched the balloon with the bloostar prototype that was ignited at 25 km of altitude . we’re happy to share that it was a successful mission and we accomplished everything that we set out to achieve with that launch .
bloostar’s simplicity would enable cheaper small satellite launches and its smaller size means less pollution to the atmosphere as well . the first stage of the launch vehicle uses helium and batteries with the launch vehicle igniting when it is past 99 % of the atmosphere , resulting in less propellant required for launch . it’s unclear when the system will be ready for its first satellite launch ; the company is aiming for sometime in 2017 . zero2infinity has $ 200 million in pre - sales from nanosatellite firms .
balloons are also cheaper to operate than rockets , and they require next to no infrastructure to launch and retrieve—zero2infinity is even considering bringing the balloon and capsule to clients anywhere in the world , or at least the closest spot with suitably calm winds . rockets are loud , while inside the balloon capsule the loudest sound will likely be conversation . and unlike emission - less balloons , rockets pollute ; a recent study showed that a growing commercial space industry could have significant impacts on the global climate .
the ‘bloostar’ booster does not require to impel through the denser parts of the atmosphere and turns on when in conditions where there is lower drag and smaller gravity losses . this translates to the amount of propellant needed being much lower than for a ground or even an airborne set off . these advantages ensure the lowest unit cost per cast - off and lessens satellite - launching pollution effects . zero2infinity have completed preliminary tests in september 2013 and 2014 , and continue to introduce modifications for future experiments .
world view’s price matches xcor’s : $ 75 , 000 . zero2infinity’s ticketholders , paying €110 , 000 ( about $ 130 , 000 ) each , will get a bit more for their money . passengers will arrive in córdoba two days before their flights so that they have enough time to rest before their ascent . while they’re getting over their jetlag , passengers will hear talks by visiting scientists and learn more about their flight , all in a comfortable and , of course , high - end atmosphere .
zero2infinity , founded by mit - educated engineer josé mariano lópez - urdiales , hopes to provide a cheaper , more relaxing way for tourists and scientists to experience “near - space” altitudes by ascending to nearly 120 , 000 feet ( 36 kilometers ) in a pod suspended beneath at 400 - foot - diameter balloon . that is well short of the 100 km or so promised by virgin galactic and others developing suborbital spacecraft , but lópez - urdiales argues it will provide a similar view for far less money .
regulatory red tape is another big unknown . world view’s vehicle has been classified by the federal aviation administration as a crewed spacecraft , so it will have to adhere to all the safety requirements that go with that designation . the faa has been known to lag behind the expansion of new technologies , so it remains to be seen how easily world view can get over the “space qualification” hurdle . europe doesn’t yet have any relevant regulations , so zero2infinity is working with the spanish and european governments to develop them .
both world view and zero2infinity are planning a further safeguard against early balloon failure : open the capsule’s parachute early , perhaps even before liftoff . with the parachute already deployed , a failure even at a few hundred feet would result in the same drifting landing as if the capsule were descending from on high . and the passengers won’t feel a jolt when the capsule detaches from the balloon . still , both companies plan to pack several backup chutes ( those , should they be needed , would come with the customary jolt ) .
during the annual space generation congress held in beijing from the 19th to 21st of september by the space generation advisory council ( sgac ) , space safety magazine met lluc palerm , a young engineer and winner of the “ $ pace is business” competition where he presented an interesting paper on how microsatellites and the advent of microlaunchers could disrupt the satellite industry . palerm currently works at zero2infinity , a spanish start - up that is trying challenge virgin galactic and space expedition corporation with an innovative idea on “space” tourism using stratospheric balloons .
bloostar is blazing new ground in spain . the ground tests of their liquid fuel rocket engine are the first of its kinds in the country . zero2infinity began launching balloons in 2009 . the founder and ceo , jose mariano lopez - urdiales is an aeronautical engineer educated in spain with r & d experience involving esa , mit and boeing . he has speerheaded organizations and activities in his native spain . in 2002 he presented to the world space congress in houston , the paper “the role of balloons in the future development of space tourism” .
zero2infinity’s balloon flights will launch from near cordoba , spain , and the six people onboard ( two pilots and four passengers ) should be able to see the entire iberian peninsula from their cruising altitude ( see the video above for a simulation of the flight ) . eventually , the company envisions launching from other european sites , depending , in part , on legal questions . right now , schoenmaker says , “there is no [ europe - wide ] regulation for high - altitude ballooning , ” and rules for licensing have to be worked out .
another problem : needing to fly as often as twice a week to make the business viable . the number of balloons needed for all those flights could be a big hurdle for the companies ; balloons for stratospheric flights aren’t reusable , and they’re not easy to come by . according to maccallum , if world view and zero2infinity each fly 50 times in their first year , as planned , they’ll need double the current worldwide production of suitable balloons . he says world view is developing its own balloon manufacturing plant and working out whether reusable balloons are feasible .
“we have been working on the idea for bloostar for years . now the technology on both the satellite and launch vehicle sides is mature enough to make it happen . many new successful companies have business plans based on nanosatellites , like skybox imaging , but the dedicated launcher that they would need , doesn’t exist yet . the launch industry needs to be transformed and adapt to the real necessity of providing small payloads with the flexibility to pick their own orbit and their launch date , ” said josé mariano lópez - urdiales , ceo and founder of zero2infinity .
michael lópez - alegría is a spanish - american astronaut who flew to space four times and performed ten spacewalks . after retiring from nasa in 2012 , he became president of the commercial spaceflight federation in washington , dc . his expertise in both american and russian space programs will be an important asset in establishing human space travel in europe . lópez - alegría will put his years of experience and extensive knowledge in the field of commercial spaceflight to the service of zero2infinity , supporting its objectives and dreams of sustainable , near - space access for scientists , passengers and payloads .
two companies are doing their best to get you there . tucson , arizona - based world view experience includes the founders of paragon , a company that builds environmental control systems for spacecraft—and the pressure suit worn by google executive alan eustace last year when he set the world altitude record for skydiving : 135 , 890 feet . spanish company zero2infinity was founded by josé mariano lópez - urdiales , an aeronautical engineer formerly with boeing’s advanced phantom works division , the european space research and technology center , and other distinguished design bureaus . lópez - urdiales began investigating balloon stratotourism years before the 2004
[ via satellite 03 - 23 - 2016 ] zero2infinity , a high altitude balloon company based in spain , is making progress on the development of a launch vehicle that uses the combination of a balloon and a rocket to deliver small satellites to low earth orbit ( leo ) . called bloostar , the vehicle’s baseline design aims at carrying 75 - kilogram payloads to a 600 - kilometer sun - synchronous orbit ( sso ) for a price tag of about $ 4 . 5 million ( 4 million euros ) . the vehicle’s first orbital mission is currently slated for the second half of 2018 , preceded by numerous suborbital development launches .
nanosatellites today need to fly as secondary payloads , and hitchhike their way into orbit ,
says josé mariano lópez - urdiales , ceo and founder of zero2infinity .
we have been working on the idea for bloostar for years . now the technology on both the satellite and launch vehicle sides is mature enough to make it happen . many new successful companies have business plans based on nanosatellites , like skybox imaging , but the dedicated launcher that they would need , doesn’t exist yet . the launch industry needs to be transformed and adapt to the real necessity of providing small payloads with the flexibility to pick their own orbit and their launch date .
j osé mariano lópez - urdiales , ceo and founder of zero2infinity says : ‘nanosatellites today need to fly as secondary payloads , and hitchhike their way into orbit . we have been working on the idea for bloostar for years . now the technology on both the satellite and launch vehicle sides is mature enough to make it happen . many new successful companies have business plans based on nanosatellites , like skybox imaging , but the dedicated launcher that they would need , doesn’t exist yet . the launch industry needs to be transformed and adapt to the real necessity of providing small payloads with the flexibility to pick their own orbit and their launch date . we believe bloostar , as the first orbital rockoon , is the solution for clean , cost – effective and sustainable space access . ’
on a typical flight , after detaching from the balloon , both world view’s and zero2infinity’s capsules will descend under a kind of steerable parachute called a parafoil , which , when inflated , acts like a wing . world view tested its parafoil in february in a balloon drop from over 100 , 000 feet , something that had never been done . there were some differences in how it worked in thinner air , says maccallum , but “fundamentally , it flew . ” he has so much confidence in the controllability of a piloted descent that world view plans to put wheels on its capsule so that it can be landed at a downwind airport , rather than retrieved from wherever it happens to end up . world view’s design imperative for all stages of the flight , according to maccallum , is simple : “you won’t spill your drink . ”
the time factor is part of what drew luxury tourism executive philippe bourgignon to world view , but he’ll be bringing his wife , their two grown children , and his son - in - law . for him the balloon trip is spiritual , or perhaps sentimental : pressed for time by his job , bourgignon agreed to take several trips a year with his family to share incredible experiences together . his interest has nothing to do with thrill - seeking . “i would never do the rocket ride , ” he says . that’s a good sign that world view and zero2infinity are reading the market right . but how many philippe bourgignons are out there , and what is their attention span ? bourgignon admits he also wants to be one of the first to experience it—“it’s important to do it before it becomes kind of a normal thing . ”
in the zero2infinity flight , the balloon would take several hours to reach an adequate altitude . from that altitude , reached after several hours of flight , the passengers could see the curvature of our planet and the sun rise against the blackness of space . on the way back down to the ground , the procedure would be to cut off the cable between the balloon and the passenger capsule . in this moment the people on board could experience weightlessness for 40 to 60 seconds during free fall , until the parachute opens . the capsule that was tested could carry two people , in a laying down position . for convenience the future version of the balloons , called “bloons” by the company , would have a bagel - shaped capsule to provide standing place for 6 people . “that’s probably the biggest benefit private spaceflight will offer to civilians and members of the public , ” lopez - urdiales said . “the overview effect is personal experience , but then you share it . i think it goes a much longer way than bragging rights . ” but for now lópez - urdiales and his team are building another test balloon and capsule which could carry two people in an upright position .
even so , the survey questions asked respondents only about orbital and suborbital options ; at the time there was no balloon option . significantly more people said they’d be willing to shell out serious cash for a flight if , at some point in the future , they were able to take a companion , or if the fitness requirements were lowered , or if the company could largely eliminate the risk of being blown up . all of which are the balloon company’s biggest selling points over competitors virgin galactic and xcor , which are offering rocket - powered rides into suborbital space for $ 200 , 000 and $ 75 , 000 respectively . on a balloon ride to the stratosphere , there’s no fuel to explode and no reentry to botch . rocket rides require passengers to be strapped into seats most of the time , while balloon passengers will be permitted to get up and move around . rocket - riders will spend only about five minutes at altitude before they have to strap back in for the rapid descent ( “just about the time you get your wits about you and the person next to you stops throwing up , it’s time to come home , ” says world view’s maccallum ) , while balloons allow about two hours . balloons are slow , ascending at about 11 mph and descending not much faster . and unlike orbital and suborbital flights , passengers won’t need to undergo training or pass a fitness test . neither world view nor zero2infinity places restrictions on who can fly : the elderly and children are welcome . if you can fly on a commercial airliner , they say , you’re good to go , and you might find the balloon ride even gentler .
companies on both sides of the atlantic are building capsules to carry you into the stratosphere .
the six passengers arrive at the launch pad a few hours before dawn . they watch as the giant balloon , its material thin as a hair’s breadth , is filled with helium until it towers over their little capsule . the pilot and copilot repeat the safety procedures : buckle your safety belt during launch and landing , no smoking in the lavatory . the passengers strap in , the hatch is sealed , and the capsule and balloon are released . two hours later , they’re in what looks to most people like outer space .
by the time it stops rising , the balloon has expanded to about 40 million cubic feet , the size of a football stadium . it floats in the top of the sensible atmosphere like an ice cube in a glass of water ; it drifts slightly , but to the passengers , it feels virtually stationary . there’s no engine roar , no humming machinery ; the capsule is as quiet as a library . a gourmet breakfast is served , perhaps with mimosas from the bar . a few passengers slip on headphones to enjoy their own soundtracks for the sunrise . even after the sun emerges from behind the blue - rimmed curve of earth , at 100 , 000 feet , stars are visible in the black sky .
after a couple of hours of floating , it’s time to come home . the pilot flips a switch and the capsule detaches from the balloon , floating leisurely back to earth under a parachute .
you can make a reservation today for a trip just like this . and although it won’t happen this year , or even next , soon you can become a member of a very elite group : those who have traveled to the top of the stratosphere .
airliners can’t get you there , but one day soon a world view capsule ( concept ) might .
for around $ 130 , 000 , this view can be yours for a few hours . in 2012 , zero2inifinity tested a scale model of its bloon capsule in preparation for 2017 full - scale flights .
world view’s conceptual capsule on the way down . the maneuverable parafoil above will allow the crew to pick where downwind to land , and the full - scale version will have wheels , unlike ordinary gondolas .
x prize - winning flight of spaceshipone . neither company can offer a trip to space—in the united states you’re not considered an astronaut until you’ve cleared an altitude of 50 miles , well above the balloon trip’s ceiling—but they’re betting that near - space can offer a similar experience . for the past two years both companies have been testing and refining their concepts , using unmanned balloons to take up small scientific payloads , mostly commercial satellite elements for testing in near - space . both are taking modest deposits on the ticket price , with the assurance that in or around 2017 , ticketholders will be given a time window for their trip to the stratosphere .
people have been traveling into the stratosphere by balloon since 1931 , when auguste piccard and paul kipfer rode in a pressurized gondola ( piccard’s invention ) to 51 , 775 feet . a series of navy and air force programs in the 1950s and 1960s used pressure vessels or pressure suits to get balloonists higher , some to above 100 , 000 feet . skydiver nicholas piantanida set an unofficial record—123 , 500 feet—in 1966 , but a later attempt went awry when his helmet depressurized . his team brought the gondola down , but piantanida suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen . he died four months later .
high - altitude ballooning had claimed other lives over the years , and the elaborate life support systems created for both recent successes—felix baumgartner’s well - publicized leap from 127 , 852 feet and eustace’s later , higher one—make clear that ascents to the stratosphere require careful planning and protection . aerospace engineers have pretty much mastered the “shirt sleeves” environment for airplanes and space capsules . even in the worst - case life support scenario , the capsule can always detach and descend quickly back to breathable air , says taber maccallum , the chief technology officer at world view . “the consequences of a catastrophic failure in a balloon , ” he says , “are simply that you fly home . ” in a sudden decompression , he says , there is more than enough emergency oxygen on board . zero2inifinty’s capsule will seal off affected sections .
the absence of oxygen and lack of pressure are the gravest threats , but not the only problems . at high altitude , the temperatures are frigid . in the vacuum of space a capsule encounters no air molecules , so it loses heat relatively slowly through radiation . but when a balloon rising to very high altitudes encounters increasingly colder air ( as low as - 112 degrees fahrenheit ) , heat is transferred from the capsule’s surface to cooler air molecules just outside , and strong wind quickly replaces the now - heated air molecules with cold ones . properly insulating the capsule is one of the trickier engineering challenges ahead , as is balancing passenger comfort against avoiding problems like windows fogging up .
though it may seem counterintuitive , the least safe portion of a stratospheric balloon flight is right after launch , when the balloon is still close to the ground . if anything goes wrong , there isn’t much time for the pilot to open a parachute and steer the capsule to a safe landing . one way to mitigate the risk of trouble early in the flight is to take care that the ultra - thin polyethylene balloon doesn’t tear , so world view will use a crane to stand the balloon up before inflating it , bypassing the traditional processes of unrolling the balloon as it inflates or laying it out on the tarmac , both of which are more likely to lead to a tear .
testing thus far , including a flight hauling 130 pounds for nasa , shows a fairly benign descent . but the full - scale capsule and passengers will weigh 8 , 000 pounds in all . in theory , the parafoil simply needs to be proportionally larger as payload weight increases , and the company hopes to be flight testing with 8 , 000 - pound dummy capsules by the end of this year . but maccallum admits that , because parafoils are very rarely designed and used at this scale , testing could hit a wall . a giant parafoil could be harder to keep inflated than a smaller one , and the larger the backup chutes have to be , the more energy it will take to deploy them .
matthew nelson , an engineer at iowa state university and head of the stratospheric ballooning association , points out that coming down from the stratosphere isn’t an inherently gentle experience—payloads tend to tumble or spin as they fall through the thin air in the upper atmosphere , where the descent is hard to control . “i don’t know how comfortable that would be for the average person , ” nelson says . “you’re still going to land safely , but it might be a bit of a roller - coaster on the way down , at least for the first couple of minutes . ”
maccallum describes the flight as potentially life - changing , which is all the more reason to make sure that passengers have a chance to fully experience it however they choose ( he relishes the thought of “the ultimate facebook update” ) . world view customers will spend up to two hours earth - gazing—and according to maccallum , that’s the real beauty of the balloon—it will give the chance to really look around and appreciate the view .
a 2002 survey by consulting firm futron showed that seeing earth from space was a big reason for wanting to fly to space , but that potential space tourists were most strongly motivated by the possibility of being a pioneer . that could be bad news for the customer flow .
clint wallington , a professor at rochester institute of technology’s hospitality and tourism management department , has taught a course on space tourism , and points out that the number of people lining up for a stratosphere trip , however many there are at the start , could be self - limiting . “you’re going to see people who want to be ‘firsties’ as much as you see adventure people , ” he says , meaning that people might not want to do it if a thousand joe schmoes have already done it before them .
but it’s not entirely clear how such untrained and untested folks will react . “it’s just an unknown , ” says maccallum . “we’ve talked to doctors about it , flight surgeons , and the consensus is : who knows ? nobody’s ever taken a person to the stratosphere who wasn’t trained . ” that’s partly why both companies plan to have two pilots on a crew ; one will always be available to “deal with” passengers’ reactions , should the need arise .
nigel goode is a partner in the design firm priestman goode and head of the team designing the world view capsule’s interior . he says it’s the attention to detail that reminds passengers that they’re in a very expensive machine : “if anything , people will notice it more if it’s not quite as good” as their expectations . the trick to designing the capsule , he says , is to make the capsule not only safe , but safe - looking . “you look at an aircraft and you’re not thinking that the shell of that aircraft is only a couple of millimeters thick , ” he says . drinks and food will help . maccallum recalls the age of zeppelins , when luxury lounges were slung beneath airships like floating dining clubs . “no real spaceship should be without a bar , ” he says .
but clint wallington , the space tourism professor , doesn’t necessarily buy the balloon experience’s luxury element . storing , heating , and serving truly gourmet food might require more space , weight , and crew attention than the companies have to spare . “the posh factor , ” wallington says , “doesn’t add up to much .
”of course , some people may never feel comfortable with the risk of high - altitude flight . evan demestihas is a lifelong space enthusiast and one of world view’s early ticketholders , but his wife , who is also a space enthusiast , won’t be joining him . he is a bit of a thrill - seeker—in 2004 he took a mig flight to 80 , 000 feet . it wasn’t much of a trip , though—“it was 32 minutes , wheels up to wheels down . my adrenaline was barely kicking in when we landed”—which is why he says he’s interested in the world view experience .
the idea of a rocket / balloon or
rockoon
is not new . it dates back to 1949 , when the astrophysicist james a . van allen and others developed the concept as a way of sending sounding rockets to high altitudes without needing the additional fuel to punch their way through the mass of the earth ' s lower atmosphere . though the technology was used until the late 1950s , the inability to steer the balloon during its ascent and the subsequent inability to predict where the sounding rocket would fall made the approach rather unattractive from a safety point of view .