Gopi Thotakura has been chosen as a crew member for the upcoming mission, marking him as the first Indian space tourist and the second Indian to journey into space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984. He will travel to space as a member of the crew on Jeff Bezos’ New Shephard-25 (NS-25) mission for Blue Origin. Stay tuned for the announcement of the flight date.
This mission will mark the 25th human flight in the history of the New Shepard program and the seventh for the program. Thirty-one people have been flown above the Karman line—the conventional border between Earth’s atmosphere and space—by the program to date.
Gopi Thotakura discusses his love of flying, his dream, and how the mission is preserving Mother Earth in an exclusive conversation with ANI. He goes on to discuss space tourism and how it can create opportunities while keeping costs down and making it available to the general public.
For Gopi Thotakura, this is a time of immense pride and enthusiasm. He explains, “I can’t express my feelings right now because it is something that is not in the urban dictionary. It is something I take with me. I always tell people that right from when you are born till the time you leave, you wake up and want to see the sky, want to take a breath, but I want to have this opportunity to do the reverse, to go up there and see down here. Movies do a fantastic job but (to see) what the naked eye can see, you have to do that yourself. The whole excitement is about to look back and see what’s going on, without being documented or without someone else’s eye.”
He reaffirmed Blue Origin’s slogan, “For the benefit of Earth,” and expressed his belief that safeguarding Mother Earth is crucial. “It is for them to protect Mother Earth that they are seeking life and adventure outside the planet,” he stated.
Blue Origin created New Shepard, a fully reusable sub-orbital launch vehicle intended for space tourism.
“Gopi is a pilot and aviator who learned how to fly before he could drive.” claims Blue Origin. He co-founded Preserve Life Corp., a hub for holistic wellness and applied health close to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
He has flown gliders, hot air balloons, bush, aerobatic, and seaplanes in addition to commercial jets. Thotakura has also operated international medical jets.
A seasoned traveller, his most recent journey saw him reach the summit of Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro.
born in Andhra Pradesh Thotakura attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and graduated.
The other members of the crew include Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Kenneth L. Hess, Carol Schaller, and former Air Force Captain Ed Dwight, who President John F. Kennedy chose in 1961 as the nation’s first black astronaut candidate but never had the opportunity to travel to space.
On behalf of Blue Origin’s charity, Club for the Future, each astronaut will bring a postcard into space with them on the journey.
With the help of this program, kids can travel to space on Blue Origin’s rockets and make and send postcards using a completely digital format. The goal of the Club is to encourage and inspire the next generation to work in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) to improve the planet.
Environmentally speaking, the booster, capsule, engine, landing gear, and parachutes make up roughly 99% of the dry mass of New Shepard.
Liquid oxygen and hydrogen, which burn extremely efficiently, power the New Shepard engine. According to the manufacturer, there are no carbon emissions during the trip; the only result is water vapor.
