SpaceVR Adds Richard Garriott, Video Game and Space Entrepreneur, to Advisory Board

San Francisco, CA, July 27, 2015 --(PR.com)-- SpaceVR, the world’s first virtual reality platform with the ability to share live 3D, 360-degree content from the International Space Station (ISS), announces that Richard Garriott has joined its advisory board. Equally well known in the gaming and space tourism industries, he created Ultima, the legendary fantasy role play game series, and holds the distinction of being the sixth private astronaut in space and the second second-generation astronaut as his father, Owen K. Garriott, was a NASA astronaut in the 1970s and 80s. He is also the vice chairman of Space Adventures, currently the only company providing opportunities for space flight and tourism.

“When I flew to the ISS in 2008, it was quickly clear to me that the life-changing experience of living and working in Earth’s orbit was important to share. However, it was also clear that this would be no easy task. SpaceVR is developing the ability to share this experience in a meaningful way. It is my hope that I can aid the company in identifying some of the best things about the ISS to share and how to do it,” said Richard Garriott, private astronaut and vice chairman of Space Adventures.

Mr. Garriott was born in the UK to American parents and moved with his family to Houston when his father became a NASA scientist-astronaut. While he often joked with his father about stowing away on a spaceship, he ended up not having to do that, instead parlaying his computer game fortune into investing in Space Adventures and purchasing the ticket to become the first private citizen to fly into space.

He trained for a year in Russia before flying to the ISS on October 21, 2008. While in orbit, Garriott participated in various educational outreach projects, communicating with students via Amateur Radio and carrying out experiments suggested by British schoolchildren. Today, he continues to promote space tourism through Space Adventures, while spearheading philanthropic efforts in Austin, Texas, where he makes his home. He regularly hosts the Austin Shakespeare Festival on his estate, Britannia Manor, as well as an annual concert and fundraiser for the Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve, a 227-acre wood west of Austin.

“Like all the great explorers, Richard has dedicated his life to reaching and pushing past the limits of humanity. His role as founder of various companies that have brought innovative concepts to life makes him the ideal ambassador for translating the 'overview effect' – the profound feeling of seeing the world from a new physical perspective, resulting in a shift in philosophical point of view – to the vast majority of humanity who has yet to see our world from outside its atmosphere. We look forward to working with him realizing our vision of sharing first-person perspectives of space, evoking the awe of actual spaceflight,” said Ryan Holmes, CEO of SpaceVR.

For more information on SpaceVR, please visit www.spacevr.co and follow us on Facebook at SpaceVR, Twitter @SpaceVR.

About SpaceVR

Founded in January 2015 by Ryan Holmes, CEO and Isaac Desouza, CTO, SpaceVR is the world’s first virtual reality platform with the ability to share live 3D, 360 degree content from the International Space Station (ISS). With key partnerships with NanoRocks to handle logistics, safety approvals and astronaut relations, and Made in Space to 3D print the camera mount on the ISS, SpaceVR is positioned to realize its mission of providing an experience that allows billions of people to feel like astronauts. This capability can help catalyze the “overview effect,” an experience of seeing firsthand the reality of Earth in space. In sharing this unique experience beyond the astronaut community, SpaceVR aims to unite humanity in protecting Earth’s fragile environment and working together to resolve conflict.