Watch: Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket lifts off with six crew on board, including one Indian
Blue Origin's New Shepard (NS) rocket lifted off Sunday
US billionaire Jeff Bezos-backed aerospace company Blue Origin's New Shepard (NS) rocket lifted off Sunday (May 19) with six crew members, including one Indian.
The mission, named NS-25, departed from Launch Site One in West Texas.
Gopi Thotakura, from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, has thus become the first Indian space tourist. He is a commercial jet pilot and entrepreneur.
Blue Origin described him as "a pilot and aviator who learned how to fly before he could drive."
Blue Origin is reviving space tourism after a gap of two years, after an unsuccessful uncrewed test flight in 2022.
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Overall, this is the seventh New Shepard crewed flight. Other members of the crew include Kenneth L Hess; Sylvain Chiron, founder of Brasserie Mont-Blanc; Mason Angel, a venture capitalist and Carol Schaller.
During their time in space, all six passengers will enjoy several minutes of weightlessness and breathtaking panoramic views of Earth through the cabin windows.
This launch comes after a successful uncrewed scientific mission in December, signalling a major milestone in the New Shepard programme's comeback following the 2022 setback.
Ahead of the flight on Sunday, all candidates attended a two-day on-site astronaut training programme that briefed them about New Shepard’s mission profile, safety systems, andzero-gprotocols,and executed mission simulations.
It is to be noted that nearly 99 per cent of the rocket's parts are reused after the completion of the space flight. The only byproduct of New Shepard’s engine combustion is water vapour and no carbon emissions are involved.
Who is Gopi Thotakura?
Gopi is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He has co-founded Preserve Life Corp, a global centre for holistic wellness and applied health. The facility is located next to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Apart from piloting commercial jets, Thotakura flies bush, aerobatic, and seaplanes, along with gliders and hot air balloons. He has also served as an international medical jet pilot.
Being a lifelong adventurer, Thotakura's latest journey involved reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
(With inputs from agencies)