After Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma's pioneering trip to space in 1984, another Indian national is ready to take to the skies again. India's Gopichand Thotakura, an aviator, has been selected as part of six-membered crew of Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin for its next civilian spaceflight. Thotakura will fly to space in what would be Blue Origin's seventh crewed endeavour and the 25th overall mission (NS-25) aboard the New Shepard spacecraft.
The Indian national will board the spacecraft for a trip 100 km above surface up to the Karman Line - the internationally recognised boundary of space. The six members will experience a few minutes of weightlessness before descending back to Texas in US. The date of the mission launch is yet to be announced.
#NewShepard #NS25 crew will include Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Ed Dwight, Ken Hess, Carol Schaller, and Gopi Thotakura. Read more 🚀: https://t.co/KbAJkbRTvj pic.twitter.com/8QBFYPJkYj — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) April 4, 2024
All about Gopi Thotakura
Thotakura is the co-founder of Preserve Life Corp, a US-based wellness company, and is also a certified pilot. He is an expert in flying commercial jets, aerobatic and seaplanes and has served as a medical jet pilot in India at one point. A graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Thotakura also has a passion for travelling and recently completed scaling Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
Eagles are everywhere! In August, Gopichand “Gopi” Thotakura (’15), left, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with friend Paul Hosmann. #ForeverAnEagle 🦅 🌍 pic.twitter.com/aMikNfON6h — ERAU Office of Alumni Engagement (@ERAU_Alumni) September 9, 2022
His announcement as Blue Origin's crew member came as a surprise for his family members who were unaware about his space travel until the announcement was officially made. Thotakura told The Economic Times that his family is nervous but excited. He also said that his journey will hopefully make space more accessible to Indian children.
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He will reportedly be flying on a sponsored launch, details of which have not been revealed. The highest amount paid to Blue Origin was $28 million which was bought through an auction for the company's very first flight on July 20, 2021. However, the ticket price also depends on the passengers stature. Star Trek-famed actor William Shatner, for instance, flew for free along with other "honourable guests" like aviator Wally Funk, former football star Michael Strahan and Laura Shepard Churchley (daught of astronaut Alan Shepard).
Thotakura will be joined by several veterans of their field including Venture capitalist Mason Angel, French businessman Sylvain Chiron, American tech entrepreneur Kenneth L. Hess, retired accountant Carol Schaller and former US Air Force pilot Ed Dwight. In 1964, Dwight was chosen from former US President John F. Kennedy as the first black astronaut candidate but never got to visit space.
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