News Sport
Graphic shows details of the mission.
Responsive: View Mobile Version
GN41446EN
EN NL AR DE ES PT

SPACE

Jeff Bezos launches into space

By Jordi Bou

July 21, 2021 - Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is set to fly to space on the first human flight by his space company, Blue Origin - a landmark moment in the bid to usher in a new era of private commercial space travel.

The 57-year-old billionaire will share the adventure with his younger brother, Mark Bezos, an investor and volunteer firefighter, aerospace pioneer Wally Funk, 82, and auction winner who paid $28m.

Blue Origin’s debut flight with people aboard – after 15 successful test flights – will take place on July 20, the 52nd anniversary of the first moon landing by Apollo 11's Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

The New Shepard spacecraft – named in honour of Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American to fly in space – is a fully automated, fully reusable rocket and capsule designed to carry passengers and research payloads on brief sub-orbital flights.

The pressurized capsule, featuring the largest windows ever used in space, allows up to six people to experience a few minutes of weightlessness.

The cost per flight has not yet been revealed, but it is expected to run into several hundred thousand dollars per seat.

Bezos’ flight is expected to take place days after aspiring billionaire aeronauts Richard Branson goes on board the first fully crewed test flight of his Virgin Galactic space plane, potentially becoming the first rocket company owner to fly to space.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 06/07/2021; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Blue Origin, Associated Press, Getty Images
Advertisement