Meet Gopichand Thotakura, An Indian Entrepreneur Set For Space Tour With Blue Origin
US-based space startup Blue Origin has revealed the crew that will be flying on its next New Shepard mission to space
According to Blue Origin, the six-person crew for the NS-25 mission are Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Ed Dwight, Ken Hess, Carol Schaller, and Gopi Thotakura.
Who is Gopi Thotakura
Born in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, Thotakura is a pilot and aviator who learned how to fly before he could drive.
The 30-year-old is the co-founder of Preserve Life Corp, a global center for holistic wellness and applied health located near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
In addition to flying jets commercially, Thotakura pilots bush, aerobatic, and seaplanes, as well as gliders and hot air balloons, and has served as an international medical jet pilot.?
He is also a lifelong traveler, and his most recent adventure took him to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.?
Second Indian civilian on space
With this, Thotakura will become only the second Indian citizen in space after wing commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984 and the country's first civilian astronaut.
Earlier another Indian civilian, Santhosh George Kulangara from Kerala had booked himself a seat on Virgin Galactic's space tour. However, the globetrotting entrepreneur has not been able to reach the space yet, despite undergoing several rounds of training.
Blue Origin?NS-25 mission
According to Blue Origin, each astronaut on its next mission will carry a postcard to space on behalf of its foundation.?
Blue Origin claims that nearly 99% of New Shepard¡¯s dry mass is reused, including the booster, capsule, engine, landing gear, and parachutes. New Shepard¡¯s engine is fueled by highly efficient liquid oxygen and hydrogen. During flight, the only byproduct is water vapor with no carbon emissions.
Blue Origin's first mission
In 2021 Blue Origin NS-16 became the first human spaceflight of the company.
?The four-member crew of NS-16 was Jeff Bezos, his half-brother Mark Bezos, Wally Funk and Oliver Daemen.
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