Gopi Thotakura makes history, becomes 1st Indian to go to space as tourist

He was selected as one of the six crew members for the NS-25 mission, becoming the first Indian space tourist and the second Indian to journey into space

On Sunday, when Blue Origin’s New Shepard lifted off from a private ranch in West Texas, it not just left a trail of white smoke but also that of history. Among the six-member crew that left the earth’s gravity was an Indian -- the first to enter space as a tourist. And also a Black astronaut.

With it, New Shepard returned to space tourism after a two-year hiatus following a rocket mishap in September 2022. This landmark mission marks the seventh human voyage for the revered New Shepard program and the 25th in its storied legacy.

Amidst the select cadre embarking on Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin New Shepard-25 (NS-25) mission was Gopichand Thotakura, an Indian-origin entrepreneur and pilot. And in another first, former Air Force Captain Ed Dwight became the first Black astronaut to enter the space.

Departing from the Launch Site One base nestled in West Texas, the flight received widespread attention across social media platforms from the aerospace firm.

As the spacecraft crossed the Karman Line, the universally recognised boundary of space positioned 62 miles (100 km) above sea level, the travellers relished the awe-inspiring panorama of Earth’s curvature. These intrepid explorers, if only for a fleeting moment, experienced weightlessness and engaged in whimsical activities like mid-air calisthenics.

The program had faced a setback in September 2022 when a New Shepard rocket encountered an anomaly shortly after lift-off. However, swift action ensured the safety of potential astronauts, with the unmanned capsule promptly deploying as designed.

Who are the members of New Shepard (Mission NS-25)?

-- Gopichand Thotakura: An entrepreneur and pilot of Indian origin, Thotakura secured his place among the six crew members for Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin New Shepard -25 (NS-25) mission.

-- Ed Dwight: A former Air Force aviator, Dwight’s journey to space culminates decades after facing rejection from Nasa's astronaut corps in the 1960s. At 90 years, 8 months, and 10 days, Dwight surpasses the record for the oldest person in space, narrowly eclipsing the achievement of Star Trek icon William Shatner.

-- Mason Angel: The founder of Industrious Ventures, a pioneering venture capital entity,  is among the crew members.

-- Sylvain Chiron: Renowned for spearheading Brasserie Mont Blanc, a revered craft brewery in France, Chiron is also part of the crew.

-- Kenneth L. Hess: A software engineer and entrepreneur, Hess joins the ranks of the mission’s esteemed crew members.

-- Carol Schaller: A retired Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Schaller’s inclusion completes the ensemble of adventurers for the NS-25 mission.

Blue Origin’s space tourism endeavours

Mission NS-25 marks the seventh human flight of the Bezos’s venture. With aspirations extending beyond terrestrial confines, Bezos envisions these brief sojourns aboard the New Shepard suborbital craft as a prelude to grander ambitions, including the development of heavy-lift rockets and lunar landers.

To date, Blue Origin has facilitated the journey of 31 individuals aboard the New Shepard, a compact and fully reusable rocket system named in homage to Alan Shepard, the first American in space.
 

Notable figures including William Shatner, Michael Strahan, and Bezos himself have graced the list of passengers on six tourist missions conducted thus far. In total, New Shepard has propelled 31 humans across the expanse of space, beyond the internationally recognised boundary of space.

Looking ahead, Blue Origin aims to forge partnerships with NASA to realise the ambition of lunar exploration in the years to come.

Named in tribute to Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard, “New Shepard” is a reusable suborbital rocket system designed to transport astronauts and research payloads beyond the Karman line.

“Whether you are an astronaut travelling alongside Blue Origin or dispatching a payload into space, your brief 11-minute journey aboard New Shepard promises to be an unforgettable adventure,” states Blue Origin's official website.