Capt Gopichand Thotakura to tour space on Blue Origin flight
image for illustrative purpose
New Delhi: Captain Gopichand Thotakura, a pilot, is set to become the first Indian to travel to the edge of space on Blue Origin's next flight on May 19, the company announced on Thursday. He will become the second Indian to visit space, after Rakesh Sharma's iconic journey aboard Russian Soyuz T-11 in 1984.
After Rakesh Sharma, only people of Indian origin have been in space -- Kalpana Chawla (1997), Sunita Williams (2006), and Raja Chari (2021) as NASA astronauts.
"As the first civilian Indian astronaut embarking on this historic journey with Blue Origin's NS-25 mission, I am honoured to represent India on this voyage," Captain Gopichand said. "India is making a mark in space exploration worldwide. This voyage is a symbol of the spirit of human endeavour and ingenuity on a global scale. I hope this exploration inspires future generations of STEAM professionals as we push the boundaries of space exploration together," he added.
