Oliver Daemen: Blue Origin's Final Passenger Confirmed

Blue Origin Announces Final Crew Member for Inaugural Human Spaceflight

The identity of the individual slated to fill the last seat on Blue Origin’s first crewed spaceflight had been a subject of speculation, but that question has now been answered. The company announced today that the winning bidder, who paid $28 million for the opportunity, will be taking flight on a subsequent mission.

Instead, the final position on this historic launch will be occupied by Oliver Daemen, an 18-year-old recent high school graduate preparing to attend the University of Utrecht. This makes him the youngest individual ever to journey into space.

Details of the Upcoming Flight

Blue Origin is scheduled to launch its founder, Jeff Bezos, into space on July 20th. This inaugural human spaceflight will also include Bezos’ brother and 82-year-old aerospace veteran Wally Funk.

The spacecraft will carry the crew to suborbital space, providing several minutes of weightlessness and exceptional views before a precisely controlled landing in West Texas.

The Auction and Charitable Donation

The final seat was initially sold through a multi-phase auction process, culminating in a live online bidding event. This resulted in a final bid of $28 million – significantly higher than the anticipated cost of future commercial flights aboard the New Shepard spacecraft.

The original winning bidder has opted to postpone their flight due to unforeseen “scheduling conflicts.” However, the proceeds from the auction will be donated to charity.

Specifically, the funds are being directed to Blue Origin’s registered nonprofit, Club for the Future, which focuses on promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education.

New Shepard: A Reusable Launch System

Blue Origin’s New Shepard launch vehicle is engineered for suborbital commercial human spaceflight, catering to both tourism and research applications.

The system is fully reusable, comprising a booster and an upper stage equipped with a crew capsule. Following a series of successful test flights beginning in 2015, Blue Origin is now prepared to carry passengers for the first time.

This flight serves as a final demonstration phase before the commencement of full commercial operations.

Key Takeaway: This mission marks a significant milestone in the advancement of space tourism and accessibility.