BackGopi Thotakura, Indian-origin pilot, takes space tour on Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin flight
The mission, marking the seventh human flight for the New Shepard programme and the 25th in its history, was conducted by the Blue Origin flight, which carried six crew members, including Indian-origin entrepreneur and pilot Gopichand Thotakura.
PremiumJeff Bezos's Blue Origin New Shepard-25 (NS-25) mission took to the skies on 19 May for the first time in two years following a rocket mishap in September 2022.
The mission, marking the seventh human flight for the New Shepard programme and the 25th in its history, was conducted by the Blue Origin flight, which carried six crew members, including Indian-origin entrepreneur and pilot Gopichand Thotakura.
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Apart from Gopichand, the crew also included former Air Force Captain Ed Dwight, the first Black astronaut candidate in the United States, reported Hindustan Times.
Earlier on 12 September 2022, the programme faced a setback after a New Shepard rocket caught fire shortly after launch. However, the uncrewed capsule ejected in time and ensured the safety of potential astronauts.
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New Shepard (Mission NS-25) crew:
1) Gopichand Thotakura: He was chosen as one of the six crew members for Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin New Shepard -25 (NS-25) mission.
2) Ed Dwight: Ex-Air Force pilot had faced rejection from NASA's astronaut corps in the 1960s. According to report by news agency AFP, Dwight became the oldest person to venture into space. He is 90 years, 8 months, and 10 days old.
3) Mason Angel: He is the founder of Industrious Ventures which is a venture capital firm.
4) Sylvain Chiron: She is the founder of Brasserie Mont Blanc – a prominent craft brewery in France.
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5) Kenneth L. Hess: A software engineer and entrepreneur
6) Carol Schaller: She is a retired Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who has completed the roster of crew members for the NS-25 mission.
With agency inputs.
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