Gopi Thotakura: Breaking Boundaries As The First Indian Tourist To Journey Into Space

With the New Shepard rocket, Blue Origin, the space business founded by Jeff Bezos of Amazon, has launched six people into space and Gopi Thotakura is among them.

Image Credit: PTI

Gopichand Thotakura, the pilot, will make history by being the first Indian to visit space as a tourist. As a member of the crew for Blue Origin, the space business founded by Jeff Bezos of Amazon, he will embark on space flight as part of the New Shepherd-25 (NS-25) mission. The date of the flight will shortly be disclosed.

According to Blue Origins, Gopi is an aviator and pilot who trained to fly before learning to drive. Gopi has served as an international medical jet and pilot in addition to flying gliders, hot air balloons, bush, aerobatics, and seaplanes. He just visited Mount Kilimanjaro's top.

What did Gopi Thotakura say?

He is the first Indian tourist and the second Indian to venture into space after the Indian Army's Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984.

"India into space," he was heard saying from the spaceflight in a video posted by Blue Origin on X. He was also seen holding the small Indian flag.

Who is involved in the mission?

He went on to discuss space tourism and how it may provide new opportunities while remaining affordable and accessible to residents. Blue Origin, the space corporation founded by Jeff Bezos of Amazon, has announced a six-person crew for the NS-25 mission, which includes Mason Engel, Sylvain Chiron, Kenneth L. Hayes, Carroll Scholar, Gopi Thotakura, and former Air Force Captain Ed Dwight.