An 18-year-old will become the youngest astronaut in history on July 20 when he soars alongside billionaire Jeff Bezos for the maiden flight of Blue Origin's spacecraft, the aerospace company said Thursday.
Also: Jeff Bezos Announces Joining Blue Origin's 1st Space Tourism Trip
Fresh from high school in 2020, private pilot's license holder Oliver Daemen is Blue Origin's first paying passenger but is not the winner of the $ 28 million in-flight seat auction.
This passenger has requested to remain anonymous, and will fly on a future mission, the company said.
"The Beginning of Commercial Operations for New Shepard"
The announcement "
marks the start of commercial operations for New Shepard,
" Blue Origin's vessel, said Bob Smith, boss of the company.
“
Oliver represents a new generation of people who will help us build a road to space,
” he added.
Flying aboard New Shepard will fulfill the dream of a lifetime for Oliver Daemen, fascinated by space, the moon and rockets since he was 4 years old.
He plans to study physics and innovation management at Utrecht University in the Netherlands from September.
The future student will join Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark, as well as Wally Funk, the oldest future astronaut in history at 82, among the passengers of the first manned flight of the New Shepard spacecraft.
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