Pilot Gopi Thotakura becomes first Indian space tourist to fly with Blue Origin: 'Dream can come alive'

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ALSO READ: Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin to launch rocket Big Shepard for the first time since accident " ...I was always very keen to become an astronaut...after my flying in India and abroad, I started looking for opportunities where the original dream can come alive. That is when I got the opportunity with Blue...NH24 is scheduled and we will be going to lower earth orbit in the near future," he said. Thotakura also spoke about his career in aviation.

He said, “…before aviation…I was very keen to become an astronaut…In the US, you have to be a US citizen, you have to go to the US Air Force, you have to go to NASA. That's where the dream thins out a little bit and you lose sight of it. But I never did." Speaking about the moto of Blue Origin, Thotakura said, "...Blue Origin's tagline is ‘for the benefit of earth’ and that is what is important to notice here...to protect mother earth, they're seeking for life and adventure outside the planet...all the efforts that are put in, is to explore the space beyond.

That's how we can protect mother earth and this is my interpretation of Blue's mission." New Shepard is 100 per cent reusable and fully autonomous. The booster and capsule are designed to launch more than 25 times, Blue Origin said. The agency explains that during the 11-minute flight, “you'll travel over 3X the speed of sound to pass the Kármán Line at 100 km (62 mi), float weightless for several minutes, and witness life-changing views of Earth before descending gently under parachutes." As on April 4, the programme has flown 31 humans above the Kármán line.