NewKerala.com

Key Points

Arvinder Singh Bahal, an Indian-origin adventurer, is set to fly on Blue Origin’s next space tourism mission. The 11-minute flight will take him and five others to the edge of space. Bahal, a real estate investor, has traveled to every country and both poles. The mission marks Blue Origin’s 14th human flight and fifth this year.

Key Points: Agra-born Arvinder Singh Bahal Joins Blue Origin Space Flight

  • Agra-born Bahal is a naturalized US citizen and real estate investor
  • Crew includes Turkish entrepreneur Gökhan Erdem and Puerto Rican meteorologist Deborah Martorell
  • Flight will reach the Kármán line in just 11 minutes
  • This marks Blue Origin’s 14th human spaceflight mission
2 min read

Agra-born man to fly on Blue Origin's next flight to edge of space

Indian-origin adventurer Arvinder Singh Bahal to fly on Blue Origin’s next suborbital mission alongside global crew members.

"A lifelong traveller and adventurer, Arvi has visited every country in the world – Blue Origin"

New Delhi, Aug 2

Indian-origin Arvinder Singh Bahal, a real estate investor, is all set to fly to the edge of space on Jeff Bezos’s space venture Blue Origin’s next space tourist flight.

Born in Agra Bahal, who has become a US citizen by naturalisation, loves adventures and has travelled from the North Pole to the South Pole.

He will now be part of Blue Origin’s 14th human flight to suborbital space. The flight, lasting 11 minutes, will carry a six-member crew to the Kármán line -- the internationally recognised boundary of space.

The crew includes Arvi Bahal, Gökhan Erdem, Deborah Martorell, Lionel Pitchford, J.D. Russell, and H.E. Justin Sun, the winning bidder for the first New Shepard seat in 2021.

“Arvi is a real estate investor born in Agra, India, and now a naturalised US citizen. A lifelong traveller and adventurer, Arvi has visited every country in the world, the North and South Poles, and skydived Mount Everest and the Pyramids of Giza,” Blue Origin said, in a statement.

“He holds a private pilot’s license and also flies helicopters,” it added.

While Erdem is a Turkish businessman and a passionate space enthusiast and an avid photographer, Martorell is a Puerto Rican meteorologist and journalist. Pitchford is an Englishman who has spent the last four decades in Spain working as a teacher, translator, and tour guide as a means to travel the world. Russel is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Alpha Funds, a technology-focused venture capital company.

The crew will travel aboard the company’s New Shepard rocket, which to date has "70 people above the Kármán line", the company said.

Although the company is yet to announce the date, the mission will be New Shepard’s 34th in its history and the fifth this year.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting crew mix! A real estate investor, meteorologist, entrepreneur... Blue Origin seems to be prioritizing diverse backgrounds over just scientists. Wonder what unique perspectives they'll bring to space travel.
A
Ananya R
11 minutes for crores of rupees? 😅 I'm happy for him but wish ISRO would start similar programs at more affordable prices for common Indians. Our scientists are equally capable!
V
Vikram M
Skydiving Mount Everest AND pyramids? This man's life is more adventurous than most Hollywood movies! Makes me wonder what childhood in Agra shaped such an adventurous spirit.
K
Kavya N
While this is exciting, I can't help but think about the environmental impact of space tourism. With climate change affecting India so badly, should we really be celebrating these joyrides?
M
Michael C
The crew diversity is impressive - India, Turkey, Puerto Rico, UK, US. Space exploration should be a global effort. Maybe one day we'll have space hotels with chefs from every country!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50