[jahearn]

This is a really interesting idea. I don't know the first thing about space / rocket science, so this video was actually pretty informative overall, while extolling the virtues of SpaceRyde.

Was in the same batch as these folks, wish we had hung out then!

[mlindner]

No it's not really an interesting idea. Balloons for launching rockets are actually a horrible thing that only seems reasonable to people who don't know anything about space / rocket science. Getting to space requires speed, not altitude so a balloon doesn't really help you with anything.

There's been many many companies that have had the "let's launch a rocket from a balloon" but they rapidly figure out that it doesn't really help at all and the companies quickly go bellyup. Physics is not on your side.

And finally their biggest problem, they still don't even recover the rocket.

I'm actually surprised YCombinator is funding this garbage of a company.