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Floating to space a giant leap closer as Zero 2 Infinity opens Korea entity

Published: 07 Jul. 2025, 18:48 Updated: 07 Jul. 2025, 18:49

LEE JAE-LIM
[email protected]

Zero 2 Infinity founder and CEO José Mariano, left, and Lee Jong-ho, head of the Korean entity, pose for a photo after a commemorative signing ceremony marking the establishment of Zero 2 Infinity Korea in Incheon on July 7. [ZERO 2 INFINITY]

Space tourism could become a reality in Korea within the next two years, with the cost per flight priced at 80 million won ($58,300) — part of Spain-based aerospace company Zero 2 Infinity’s vision to make space travel accessible beyond just the ultra-wealthy.

“We’re estimating the cost per flight at around 160 million won for our Bloon service,” said Zero 2 Infinity Korea’s CEO, Lee Jong-ho, at a press event to commemorate the establishment of the company’s Korean entity at Incheon on Monday. “I believe that if the launch were to take place in Korea, we could potentially cut that cost by half.”

Headquartered in Barcelona, Zero 2 Infinity is a privately-held company founded in 2009 by aerospace engineer José Mariano that develops high-altitude balloons that can travel to near space and low Earth orbit.

Bloon, still in the development phase, is a near-space tourism experience that uses a high-altitude helium balloon to carry a pressurized capsule and passengers to the stratosphere, floating at a target altitude between 28 and 32 kilometers (17 to 20 miles). What is emphasized by the company is that it emits zero carbon emissions and is a cost-friendly way offer panoramic views of Earth and space without rockets.

The entire journey would take up to five hours: about one hour to ascend, another hour to descend and two to three hours at peak altitude — giving space travelers a window of time “about the length of a movie” to enjoy the view.

“We’ve already completed a successful crewed test flight up to 9.7 kilometers, and an uncrewed capsule has reached an altitude of 32 kilometers,” Mariano said. “To ensure maximum safety, we’re planning around 12 additional crewed test flights before we push to higher altitudes.”

The total cost to realize the service would fall below $70 million, as Mariano said that it would be “cheaper than booking a seat on SpaceX’s Dragon” or even may be less than the $60 million investment that Korean pharmaceutical company Boryung made in U.S. space startup Axiom Space.

Zero 2 Infinity plans to begin its Korean operations with a project called “Byul” — the Korean word for star — which offers a symbolic farewell for pet lovers. The initiative will invite volunteers to send the ashes of their deceased furry companions into the stratosphere, carried in star-shaped, biodegradable capsules. The company aims to begin collecting participants this September, with the first near-space release scheduled for December in Korea.

A module of star-shaped capsule that would carry deceased pet's ashes are made from polylactic acid — a biodegradable, bio-based plastic made primarily from renewable resources like corn starch or sugarcane. [LEE JAE-LIM]

“Our platform — particularly the capsule that carries the payload — poses minimal environmental risk in terms of space debris,” said Lee.

According to Mariano, Korea is the first country where Zero 2 Infinity has established a permanent legal entity. Previous ventures in the U.S. and Germany were short-term projects in partnership with NASA and the European Space Agency, respectively.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [[email protected]]