Mission is to push Indians to see Majestic Blue Ball: Gopichand Thotakura

Thotakura discusses his aspirations for an orbital space journey to see India from the space, collaborating with an Indian space startup, and becoming an inspiration for many in the future

Gopichand Thotakura, who recently made history by becoming India’s first civilian astronaut or space tourist, in a video interview with Shine Jacob discusses his dream of an orbital space journey to view the country from the space, plans regarding collaborating with an Indian space startup, and aspiration of becoming an inspiration for others. Edited excerpts

Could you share some insights into your experience as a crew member on the New Shepard-25 (NS-25) mission by Blue Origin?

It all happened faster than we could have expected. We had several days of training, including numerous simulations, to prepare us for emergencies and procedures. The real experience, however, came when we saw the ‘Majestic Blue Ball’. That’s what I prefer to call it, rather than just Earth. Its vast beauty is indescribable. After this mission, I believe that every human should have the chance to see Earth from the space to truly understand its significance. Our home is absolutely amazing from above, and it underscores how important it is to protect it.

Experiencing it without the mediation of movies, screens, and animations is truly special. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The mission was very successful.

How does it feel to be the first Indian space tourist? 

My mission is to push every Indian to aim to go up there and see this majestic blue. Your world will change once you go up there and experience it. If I can communicate even 1 per cent of what I saw yesterday (on Monday), my purpose is achieved. It has opened a new frontier for our country. It is a huge honour and now I take it upon myself to encourage the rest of us to go up there. There is going to be unbelievable potential for global majors in tourism in India. 

What do you mean when you say “encourage” in your capacity as a business individual?

I will try to inspire the next generation to really dream big and also go to space. There is more that you can dream and achieve. I will be involved with the space industry a bit — not only with Blue Origin but also with some other people and possibly with some startups in India. It requires a lot of funding and background work. This is the long-term plan. 

The tie-up with space startups may be in a financial, advisory, or brand ambassador form. My role is to push it forward. 

What is your next big dream? Earlier, you have also scaled Mount Kilimanjaro… 

My goal is to think about what’s next after tourism. My dream is to inspire the next generation in India to think out of the box. 

I was born in Vijayawada and my family is in the power generation business. My father always pushed me to think the unthinkable and do it.

When I was on the flight, we had a clear sky. I saw the Atlantic Ocean, Europe, and the United States. I was trying to find us (India). We were on the other side as it was a sub-orbital flight. Now, I am working towards an orbital flight journey, which will happen in the near future. I took a small Indian flag with me to show the rest of the world that our blood can also go there. The intention was not Gopi to go there but to have India in the space. This is what I said inside the capsule too: “India is in space”. 

The big dream for me now is to become an advocate of sustainability. That is what our project in Atlanta is also focussing on. 

How long was the preparation process for the space flight?

My preparation was a bit longer. It took around two years. Expenses depend on how you partner with agencies. The vision of Blue Origin is to make this affordable. Every human should see it before they leave this Earth. 

Could you light on Preserve Life Corp, your business venture, and also elaborate on your aviation sector enterprise in India?

It is a holistic wellness and applied health centre in Atlanta. It incorporates all aspects of wellness into one campus. We are just over 1,200 acres. 

Our aviation venture in India is aimed at bringing clean and efficient ways to provide private charter in India. It is based out of Delhi. We are currently planning to come up with some partnerships. That is just to say that aviation can be done cleanly. I think in the coming decades we will surpass the demand of any other country in the aviation sector.