SpaceVIP launches to streamline exclusive private space travel
Following his success in securing crew for Axiom Space’s 2022 mission, Chiporukha establishes a digital portal offering suborbital and orbital experiences, alongside a nonprofit initiative to broaden STEM participation.
Luxury travel entrepreneur Roman Chiporukha has launched SpaceVIP, a digital portal designed to facilitate private space travel for high-net-worth individuals. The firm aims to provide seamless access to suborbital flights and orbital stays with operators including Blue Origin, SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, and Axiom Space. Chiporukha established the service following his success in securing three citizen explorers for Axiom Space’s 2022 mission to the International Space Station.
The service caters to an exclusive roster, offering custom adventures ranging from zero-gravity parabolic flights to stratospheric balloon voyages. SpaceVIP receives dozens of inquiries monthly but assists only a small, exclusive roster based on budgets and physical comfort zones. Chiporukha describes a stratospheric balloon voyage, which travels 15 miles above Earth, as "relatively affordable" for those with a few hundred thousand dollars.
Chiporukha’s background includes co-owning Roman & Erica, a luxury lifestyle firm where he orchestrated experiences such as superyacht construction and private Bahamas vacations requiring non-disclosure agreements. This work earned him access to the ultra-high-net-worth audience and led to his involvement in the first fully private mission to the International Space Station in 2018.
The commercial spaceflight sector is currently characterised by high costs and fragmented operators, making it difficult for private citizens to navigate. SpaceVIP acts as a bridge between clients and strict aerospace parameters, with Chiporukha working directly with operators to secure perks and custom requests for clients.
Chiporukha co-founded the Space Prize Foundation, a nonprofit running science competitions for young women and groups underrepresented in STEM. Winners receive zero-gravity flights and entry into immersive astronaut-training programs. The foundation aims to mainstream interest in space through education and accessible pathways, rather than solely reducing ticket costs.
