Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’s private space firm, on Tuesday announced the crew of its next flight in December, which will include two honorary guests, including a former NFL star and the daughter of first American in space Alan Shepard, and four paying customers.
The upcoming NS-19 flight on December 9 from Launch Site One in West Texas will carry six people for the first time and will also include the first parent-child pair to fly in space: Lane and Cameron Bess.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Laura Shepard Churchley, @MichaelStrahan, @Dylan, Evan Dick, Lane Bess and Cameron Bess on #NewShepard’s 19th mission to space on December 9,” Blue Origin said in a tweet.
Michael Strahan is “Good Morning America” co-anchor and former New York Giants star Michael Strahan, Laura Shepard Churchley is the eldest daughter of Alan Shepard.
Also read | ‘Business park’ in outer space? Here’s what Jeff Bezos is planning next
“An original Shepard will fly on the New Shepard,” Laura Shepard Churchley said, according to the Jeff Bezos’ company.
Space industry executive and philanthropist Dylan Taylor, investor Evan Dick, Bess Ventures founder Lane Bess, and Cameron Bess will be the four customers.
“This mission furthers the company’s vision of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. It will be New Shepard’s third human flight this year, the sixth for the program in 2021, and the 19th in its history. It will carry a full manifest of six astronauts to space for the first time,” Blue Origin said in a statement.
Also read | Star Trek actor William Shatner becomes world’s oldest space traveler at 90
Blue Origin said Strahan was invited to the flight and will receive a stipend, which will be donated to The Boys & Girls Club.
“Also on board NS-19 will be a postcard from each astronaut flown on behalf of Blue Origin’s foundation, Club for the Future, whose mission is to help future generations pursue careers in STEM and help invent the future of life in space. The Club’s Postcards to Space program gives students access to space on Blue Origin’s rockets,” it added.
Bezos, the world’s wealthiest man, his brother Mark, aviation pioneer Wally Funk, and paying customer Oliver Daemen flew into space on Blue Origin’s first crewed flight on July 20.
In October, actor William Shatner become at age 90 the oldest person ever in space as Blue Origin carried out its second tourist flight.
Shatner was one of four passengers to journey to the edge of space aboard the white fully autonomous New Shepard spacecraft.