Outer Space is one of many projects helmed by Cleveland-based synthesizer guru John Elliott, best known for co-founding the acclaimed ambient trio Emeralds as well as curating Spectrum Spools, a sublabel of Editions Mego. True to its name, Outer Space's many releases are often themed around stars, planets, and galaxies, and the music is appropriately zoned-out, ranging from noisy, alien abstractions to hypnotic ambient techno. While Outer Space has often consisted of Elliott solo or in conjunction with Andrew Veres, other frequent collaborators have included Jeff Hatfield, Adam Miller, Drew McDowall, and Ralph Hausmann.

Elliott first began using the name Outer Space in 2007. Throughout 2008 and 2009, several limited cassettes and CD-Rs of flowing, weightless electronics (often recorded live to tape) were issued on labels like Wagon and Arbor, including two split releases with Oneohtrix Point Never. In 2010, the project made its vinyl debut with a self-titled LP on Arbor as well as a split LP with Raglani, released by Nihilist. By this time, Outer Space had shifted to a more melodic, arpeggio-heavy sound similar to what Emeralds were producing at the time. A limited LP of older recordings titled Last Vacuum Demos, Vol. 1 was released by Wagon in 2011. The year 2012 saw the nearly simultaneous release of the more melodic Akashic Record (Events: 1986-1990) on Spectrum Spools and the more abstract, minimal II on Blast First Petite.

Outer Space then went in more of a techno-influenced direction, appearing on a 2013 remix EP by Ectomorph's Erika Sherman before releasing the Phantom Center 12" on Editions Mego in 2014. The project contributed a remix to Cloud Nothings' Here and Nowhere Else Remixed, issued by Northern Spy during April of 2015 for Record Store Day. Outer Space's Gemini Suite LP was released by Amethyst Sunset in November of 2016. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi