Hyderabad: Gopichand Thotakura, a youthful visionary from Andhra Pradesh, is poised to etch his name in history as the premier Indian explorer to journey into space as a tourist. His odyssey is set to commence in the coming weeks aboard the New Shepherd spacecraft, a marvel of aerospace engineering crafted by Blue Origin, the aerospace venture established by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Rakesh Sharma pioneered the Indian foray into space in 1984, followed by Kalpana Chawla, Sunita Williams, Rajachari, and Shirisha Bandla, all of whom are American citizens of Indian descent. Gopichand, although residing in America, holds an Indian passport, marking him as the second Indian to reach space after Sharma and the nation’s first space tourist.
Blue Origin’s Past Missions
Blue Origin has successfully executed numerous suborbital excursions with the New Shepherd craft. In 2021, Jeff Bezos himself joined two other travelers on a space voyage. The impending NS-25 mission will carry six individuals, including Gopichand. The roster includes luminaries such as Mason Angel, a venture capitalist; Sylvain Chiron, a French industrial magnate; Kenneth L. Hess, an American tech tycoon; Carol Schaller, an intrepid explorer; and Ed Dwight, a former U.S. Air Force captain.
Gopichand’s Origins
Gopichand Thotakura hails from Vijayawada and is the co-founder of ‘Preserve Life,’ a substantial wellness hub in Atlanta. His credentials include pilot training and a decade-long involvement in air-based patient evacuations in India. In a candid exchange with an English publication, Gopichand revealed that even his family remained unaware of his spaceflight until the public announcement by Blue Origin. His fascination with space sparked at the tender age of eight, leading him to pursue a B.Sc. in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Blue Origin’s Space Achievements
To date, Blue Origin has transported 31 individuals into space over six missions, each reaching the Karman line, located 80-100 kilometers above sea level. These expeditions last a brief 11 minutes, with the spacecraft reaching speeds three times that of sound. Travelers experience a fleeting sensation of weightlessness as they traverse the Karman line. Details regarding the financial contributors and the costs involved in these journeys remain undisclosed by Blue Origin.