After halting its space tourism operations due to a rocket disaster in September 2022, Blue Origin’s New Shepard ascended to the sky on Sunday for the first flight in two years. With this mission, the New Shepard project will have completed its seventh and 25th human flying missions overall.
Gopichand Thotakura, an Indian-origin pilot and entrepreneur, is one of the six crew members chosen for Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin New Shepard -25 (NS-25) mission. Ed Dwight, a former Air Force Captain and the country’s first Black candidate for astronautship, is also a member of the crew.
Upon crossing the Karman Line, the globally acknowledged border of space situated 62 miles (100 km) above sea level, travellers were afforded the chance to observe Earth’s curvature and relish a brief period of weightlessness. During this time, they were able to undo their seatbelts and engage in physical activities such as jumping jacks.
On September 12, 2022, a New Shepard rocket caught fire shortly after launch, posing a challenge to the programme. But the unmanned spacecraft managed to escape in time, protecting the safety of possible occupants.
Who makes up Mission NS-25, New Shepard?
– Jeff Bezos selected Gopichand Thotakura, an Indian-born pilot and entrepreneur, as one of the six crew members for his Blue Origin New Shepard -25 (NS-25) mission. The corporation used social media to publicise the flight, which was launched from the Launch Site One location in West Texas.
– Ed Dwight, a retired Air Force pilot who was turned down in the 1960s by NASA for the astronaut corps, is also involved. At ninety years, eight months, and ten days, Dwight surpassed Star Trek star William Shatner, who was almost two months younger, to become the oldest person to travel into space, according to AFP.
– Among the crew members is Mason Angel, the creator of the venture capital company Industrious Ventures.Among the team is Sylvain Chiron, the creator of Brasserie Mont Blanc, a well-known French artisan brewery.
– Software developer and businessman Kenneth L. Hess has been chosen for the mission. Retired Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Carol Schaller rounds out the NS-25 mission crew lineup.
Space tourism offered by Blue Origin
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, launched the company, and Mission NS-25 is the sixth human flight. Bezos plans to use the New Shepard suborbital ship for brief missions before moving on to more ambitious goals like creating a heavy rocket and lunar lander.
Blue Origin has launched 31 people on board New Shepard, a small, totally reusable rocket system that bears the name of Alan Shepard, the first American in space, to date On New Shepard, six tourism missions have been introduced, featuring prominent travellers like Bezos himself, Michael Strahan, and William Shatner. In total, 31 people have been transported by New Shepard across the acknowledged border of space.
Together with NASA, Blue Origin also hopes to transport people to the moon in the near future. New Shepard” is the name of a reusable suborbital rocket system that honours Alan Shepard, a Mercury astronaut, and is intended to carry research payloads and humans beyond the Kármán queue.
According to Blue Origin’s official website, “your short 11-minute journey aboard New Shepard promises to be an unforgettable adventure, whether you are an astronaut travelling alongside Blue Origin or launching a payload into space.”
Indian Pilot Gopi Thotakura Takes Space Tour on Blue Origin Flight
In a historic first, Indian pilot Gopi Thotakura has embarked on a space journey aboard Blue Origin’s latest mission, marking a significant milestone for India in commercial space travel. Thotakura, an accomplished aviator, became the first Indian to travel to space on a private spaceflight operated by Jeff Bezos’ aerospace company, Blue Origin.
The mission, which took off from West Texas, carried a diverse crew of space enthusiasts and professionals on a brief but groundbreaking journey beyond the Kármán line—the internationally recognized boundary of space. Thotakura’s participation underscores India’s growing presence in global space exploration and commercial astronaut programs.
An experienced aviator and entrepreneur, Thotakura has extensive flight experience across various aircraft. His venture into space adds to India’s expanding contributions to the field of aviation and space technology.
Blue Origin has been at the forefront of commercial space travel, offering suborbital trips for civilians and researchers alike. With this latest mission, the company continues to push the boundaries of accessible space tourism.
Thotakura’s journey inspires future Indian space enthusiasts and signals a new era where space travel is no longer limited to government astronauts but open to private individuals as well.
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