Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket will send six more people into space, including a science show host, two returning travelers, two philanthropists and an online award winner.
Emily Calandrelli, known as “Space Gal,” is scheduled to take off from Blue Origins' West Texas Spaceport this Friday aboard the New Shepard 28 mission, Blue Origins' ninth spaceflight. He will be one of six people.
“I'm flying into space…Friday!” Calandrelli wrote on Monday's X to celebrate her choice.
Calandrelli, an MIT engineer, is an Emmy-nominated television host and New York Times bestselling author who works to inspire young people, especially girls, to enjoy science and get involved in STEM fields. .
Calandrelli, who also hosts shows on Netflix and YouTube, has begun documenting his upcoming space trip, and the excited astronaut has created a flash drive filled with a list of dreams of going to space submitted by his followers. , which has raised over $9,700 for children's charities. process.
Along with the science host, Sharon and Mark Heigl are scheduled to return to space in 2022 after taking off on a previous Blue Origins trip, becoming the first married couple to fly in a commercial spacecraft.
The Hegels are philanthropists who have donated to many science and education-related charities, and Sharon is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire children to excel in science and technology. Established Space Kids Global Group.
Philanthropists James “JD” Russell and Henry Wolfond will also be on board the flight.
Mr. Russell, of Tucson, Ariz., founded the Victoria Russell Foundation, a nonprofit named after his late daughter that is dedicated to educating children and supporting families of first responders.
Wolfond chairs the UJA Coalition of Greater Toronto’s Committee to Combat Anti-Semitism and is a co-founder of the Autism Acceptance Project.
Austin Literal, an average Joe who works in the financial services industry and is surrounded by the rich and famous, manages to secure a seat on the New Shepard as part of an online sweepstakes.
Austin, a father of two who had always dreamed of becoming an astronaut, won the spot with a giveaway from Whatnot, a livestream shopping platform that promised viewers space travel.
Since Blue Origin began manned launches in 2021, it has sent 43 people into space, including founder and Amazon owner Jeff Bezos.
Friday's flight is tentatively scheduled for 9:30 a.m. CST, and the launch will be broadcast on Blue Origin's website.
