The world’s richest person, Jeff Bezos, has completed a brief trip to space. His trip comes nine days after another space exploration enthusiast and billionaire, Richard Branson became the first billionaire to take a trip to space in his spaceship.
The Amazon founder, alongside four others, embarked on the trip, Tuesday, in a rocket named New Shepard in honour of Alan Shepard, the first American in space.
Jeff Bezos-owned rocket manufacturing company, Blue Origin, manufactured the spacecraft. The rocket took off from the company’s launch site in Van Horn, Texas, shortly before 9:15 and returned safely just after 9:30 Eastern time.
The rocket manufacturing company has had 15 successful launches and all landed safely in space, although there were no occupants on board.
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Although the flight did not enter orbit, it was a remarkable leap for Blue Origin, a company that Bezos founded over 20 years ago, as this marked the first time its space vehicle lifted humans to space.
Other individuals onboard the New Shepard include Mark Bezos, his 50-year-old brother, who is also the co-founder and general partner at HighPost Capital, a private equity firm.
Also, there was an 18-year-old student from the Netherlands named Oliver Daemen, he had purchased a ticket on the second flight. Thirdly was the only female, Mary Wallace Funk, an 82-year-old American astronaut.
