Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin announced its new batch of space tourists on Tuesday that includes two honorary guests and four paying customers.
Good Morning America co-host anchor Michael Strahan and Laura Shepard Churchley, the eldest daughter of Alan Shepard, who was the first American to fly to space, have been gifted their seats on the New Shepard rocket set to launch on December 9.
The other four, who have paid a high price for the experience, include space industry executive and philanthropist Dylan Taylor, investor Evan Dick, Bess Ventures founder Lane Bess and Cameron Bess, who will become the first parent-child duo to fly in space.
Lift-off for the new crew is set for 10AM ET from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in West Texas and will mark the company’s third space tourism mission.
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Good Morning America co-host anchor Michael Strahan and Laura Shepard Churchley, the eldest daughter of Alan Shepard, who was the first American to fly to space have been gifted their seats on the New Shepard rocket set to launch on December 9
The first, which launched in July, included Bezos himself and the second on October 13 saw William Shatner, actor famed for playing Captain Kirk on Star Trek, travel 66 miles above the surface.
Although Bezos has not officially announced pricing for the flight, actor Tom Hanks, who was asked to join the last one in October, told the Amazon founder ‘I am not paying $28 million to go into space.’
The December flight marks New Shepard’s 19th flight and the first time the rocket will carry six people inside the Blue Origin capsule to space – previous missions only included four individuals.
The six-person crew will soar 66 miles above the surface and spend about 10 minutes in zero-gravity.
The paying customers include space industry executive and philanthropist Dylan Taylor (left) and investor Evan Dick (right)
Blue Origin claims that the short trips into space help further ‘the company’s vision of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth’.
Shepard Churchley carries the infamous last name of her father, Alan Shepard (pictured), who took Americans to space on May 5, 1961
Strahan, who played defensive end for the New York Giants where he won the Super Bowl in 2007, is a two-time Emmy award winner, Peabody award-winning journalist.
Along with co-hosting ‘Good Morning America,’ he also hosts the game show ‘$100,000 Pyramid.’
According to Blue Origin, since Strahan was invited to join the flight he will receive a stipend.
However, he is planning on donating it to the Boys & Girls Club.
Shepard Churchley carries the infamous last name of her father who took Americans to space on May 5, 1961 by conducting a suborbital flight aboard the Mercury capsule named Freedom 7.
‘It is kind of fun for me to say, an original Shepard will fly on the New Shepard,’ Shepard Churchley said in a video interview.
She currently serves as Chair of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Board of Trustees, a foundation that raises funds for college students and provides mentoring to scholars pursuing careers and research in STEM.
Taylor is the Chairman & CEO of Voyager Space, a global space exploration firm headquartered in Denver.
Bess Ventures founder Lane Bess and Cameron Bess, who will become the first parent-child duo to fly in space
He is also the founder of the global nonprofit Space for Humanity, which is organizing the planet’s first Sponsored Citizen Astronaut Program.
Dick is an engineer, investor and Managing Member of Dick Holdings.
He is also an ATP-rated pilot, which means he is certified to fly for any airline, and enjoys sailing and riding around on his motorcycle.
Lane and Cameron Bess, father and son, will make history as the first parent-child pair to venture into the final frontier.
Lane is best known for having helped start and build two of the most important cybersecurity companies in the public markets today, Zscaler and Palo Alto Networks, while his son is a content creator.
According to Blue Origin: ‘Cameron identifies as pansexual and is proud to represent marginalized communities and hopes their journey can inspire others.’
The six passengers will experience the same journey as Bezos (second from right) did on July 20, when he, his brother Mark (second from left) ventured 66 miles above they surface. The brothers were joined by Oliver Daemen (left) and Wally Funk (right)
The six passengers will experience the same journey as Bezos did on July 20, when he, his brother Mark ventured 66 miles above they surface.
The brothers were joined by 18-year-old Oliver Daemen – the word’s first paying customer to buy his flight – and 82-year-old Wally Funk, who passed NASA’s space program in the 1960s but never made it to space because the women’s flight was canceled.