our origins story

ABOUT US

We're Space United, a soccer and space tech organization launching our fans toward the future of space exploration! Founded by the Tobacia Brothers—Latino soccer athletes turned space engineers at SpaceX and Blue Origin—we're on a mission to combine our passion for sports and technology to create a fun and exciting future where everyone, everywhere can access the benefits of space. Our integrated club model features a global network of recreational soccer clubs made up of engineer-athletes who support our innovative STEM education, ‘Sports-in-Space’ initiative, and our unique Soccer & Space youth academy. Soon, we're launching a professional soccer club for our community, offering a cutting-edge tech gameday experience that trailblazes a new era of fan engagement, breaks barriers to STEM, and inspires a diverse new generation of innovators beyond geographic location.

OUR ORIGINS STORY

Our story began in 2014 when Camilo, once a soccer player with the Colombian professional club Millonarios FC, started his first day as an engineer at SpaceX and began building his two greatest passions—rockets and a soccer club. From then, we started our first Space United Football Club– a community for diverse space engineers to connect through soccer. But much to our excitement, the club's appeal quickly grew beyond the space industry, attracting a broader soccer community. Many who had never been exposed to space became intrigued by our unique team, opening up opportunities for conversations about our experiences in the space industry.  Local soccer leaders invited us to participate in high-profile events–not only to compete but also to share and showcase our space experiences. We saw that our influence did not stop there–(we found out shortly after that) it extended to all generations, including youth. 

Connecting with Youth

In 2019, we stepped into our first school-a Title I Spanish dual-language middle school where the majority of students were Latino and from low-income families.  Emily Chow, Camilo's wife and a passionate multilingual educator, invited Camilo and his brothers, Andres and Sebastian—also engineers at Blue Origin and former soccer players—to speak to 120 students. Like many of today’s youth, these students felt disconnected from their education, craving something relevant and engaging. The moment the brothers connected soccer and space in their talk, the students lit up, instantly resonating with their shared language, backgrounds, and passions. 

From then, we started expanding our reach—visiting schools and programs all over the world. The response was always the same: excitement, curiosity, and kids jumping from one question to another, maxing out Q&A sessions about soccer, space, and our favorite initiative—’Soccer in Space.’