In his bid to fly beyond the skies, Indian pilot Gopichand Thotakura has been selected as a tourist set to go to Space on board the Blue Origin. Thotakura is the first Indian to head to Space as a tourist. He has been selected as part of the crew for Blue Origin’s New Shephard-25 (NS-25) mission along with five others from around the world.
While the date of the flight is yet to be announced, Thotakura is part of the mission that will be the seventh human flight for the New Shepard program and the 25th in its history.
Who is Gopichand Thotakura?
Born in Vijayawada, Thotakura, 30, is an entrepreneur and pilot who, as described on the Blue Origin website, “learnt to fly before he could drive.” He 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, Gopi pilots bush, aerobatic, and seaplanes, as well as gliders and hot air balloons, and has served as an international medical jet pilot,” the Blue Origin website says.
Besides flying, Thotakura is a traveler and an adventure lover. A graduate from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Thotakura recently visited the summit of Mt Killimanjaro.
Blue Origin’s New Shephard-25 (NS-25) mission
Five others have been selected alongside Thotakura as part of the elite crew for Blue Origin’s New Shephard-25 (NS-25) mission. They include Mason Angel, a venture capitalist, Sylvain Chiron, an entrepreneur, Kenneth L Hess, a software engineer and entrepreneur, Carol Schaller, a retired CPA and Ed Dwight, an astronaut.
Each astronaut will carry a postcard to space on behalf of Blue Origin’s foundation, Club for the Future.
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.
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