Digital Scoop India Official Platform of Digital Scoop India Featuring Latest & Best News #Articles #Bytes #Entertainment #DigitalScoopMagazine
Related Articles
Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, resumed its space flights today after a two-year hiatus, marking its seventh crewed mission, Mission NS-25. A group of six adventurers completed an 11-minute journey to space after liftoff from Texas, among them Gopi Thotakura, a 30-year-old pilot from Andhra Pradesh. Thotakura has made history by becoming the first Indian to travel into space as a tourist on Blue Origin’s return flight.
Thotakura, who co-founded Preserve Life Corp, a medical institution focused on holistic health near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, expressed his awe after the trip. “It was amazing… you have to see it with your eyes,” he said. “I can’t describe how it is to look into space… everybody should go to space. It was good to see Earth from the other side.”
Blue Origin highlighted Thotakura’s extensive aviation experience on social media platform X, stating, “Gopi Thotakura is a lifelong pilot and aviator who learned how to fly before he could drive. He flies jets commercially, in addition to piloting bush, aerobatic, and seaplanes. He’s also the co-founder of Preserve Life Corp, a global center for holistic wellness and applied health.”
The other crew members included Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Kenneth L. Hess, Carol Schallera, and Ed Dwight. Notably, 90-year-old Dwight became the oldest person to travel into space, surpassing Star Trek star William Shatner, who was nearly two months younger. Dwight is also historically significant as the first American Black man to be trained as an astronaut, although he did not achieve his goal of becoming the first black astronaut in space in 1961.
Reflecting on his journey, Dwight shared his emotions before the liftoff, “I was the first guy in the world to be famous for not doing something. Needless to say, I’m overwhelmed.” After the space flight, he remarked, “This is a life-changing experience, everybody needs to do this.” He also reflected on his past, saying, “I thought I didn’t really need this in my life,” acknowledging his omission from the astronaut corps, which was his first experience with failure as a young man. “But I lied,” he added.
Blue Origin celebrated the successful mission on X, stating, “We just completed our seventh human spaceflight and the 25th flight for the New Shepard program. Our #NS25 astronaut crew included: Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Ed Dwight, Ken Hess, Carol Schaller, and Gopi Thotakura. Thank you, astronauts.”
As Blue Origin continues to make strides in space tourism, the experiences of these crew members highlight the transformative impact of venturing beyond Earth, offering a glimpse of the possibilities that lie ahead in the realm of commercial space travel.
Sources By Agencies
