New Shephard
On Tuesday July 20th the date that the Apollo moon landing took place; there is going to be another historical commercial space flight. This time around the company is Blue Origin, and their patron, Jeff Bezos.
The passengers and crew is set to leave on Blue Origin’s space craft, “New Shepard” (named after Alan Shepard the first man in space), from West Texas. The passengers are Amazon founder and Blue Origin patron, billionaire Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos; 18-year-old Oliver Daemen and 82 year old Wally Funk.
No people Wally Funk isn’t the Wrestlers Terry and Dory Funk Jr’s Mother; Wally Funk is a retired Pilot, who in the 1960’s was one of the female candidates for the Women is space Mercury 13 program. She made the final cut, but the program was cancelled before the test phase was completed.
The 18 year old is the son of Joes Daemen, the CEO of Somerset Capital Partners BV; a Netherlands based investment firm.
The flight itself is sub-orbital; meaning that the ship won’t be orbiting the earth. It will reach space 50 to 60 miles above the earth’s surface, then come back down. The duration of being in space is ten to eleven minutes.
If this launch is successful as the Galactic Virgin launch that took place last week; there will be other commercial launches that will happen in the near future.
Right now the price of a ticket is expensive and out of the pay range of working stiffs. But, as the commercial launches become more frequent, and the number of companies who will become participants. The price will drop down.
Can you imagine, commercial sub-orbital space flights; to orbital flights; to flights that will take us beyond the earth. Perhaps commercial moon landings. Plus, Mars is the next frontier, I wonder how long will it take for commercial flights to Mars become a reality.
Don’t know if commercial flights to Mars will be happening in my lifetime, but at least when the sub orbital flights become more frequent, that the price will drop down to a number where us working stiffs can afford a ticket.
True_George 
Don’t you just wish!… I’ll never have the money ‘cos, by the time the flights reduce that much in price, I’ll be long gone! I’d certainly book one though if I could.
Does the 82 year old have to be fit (like a working astronaut would have to be)? or have they done away with all that for commercial flights? I realise that an ex-astronaut could well still be quite fit even at 82 though…
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All the rigorous physical and mental challenges to become an Astronaut does not apply to commercial flights; the requirement is being able to afford the ticket.
Yeah, I hope the price will come down before I reach 82 so that I can get to see space….
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