Gopichand Thotakura, a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) is set to make history as the first Indian space tourist. Additionally, he will be the first Telugu person to venture into space.
Gopochand is among the selected group of six chosen by Blue Origin for the New Shephard-25 (NS-25) mission. Born in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, he co-founded “Preserve Life Corp,” a holistic wellness firm based in Atlanta. He is a certified pilot and previously served in medical air evacuation in India. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Blue Origin, established by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, created the “New Shephard,” a reusable sub-orbital spacecraft designed for space tourism. In 2021, Bezos himself, along with three others, went to tour the space journey in this vehicle.
To date, Blue Origin has conducted six missions, comprising both paying customers and complimentary guests. For the forthcoming NS-25 mission, six individuals, including Gopichand, have been selected for a space tour. Each NS-25 crew member will bring a postcard symbolizing the hopes and dreams of youth worldwide.