Bezos' Blue Origin finishes 3rd crewed space flight with Alan Shepard's daughter, 5 others

Jeff Bezos’ rocket company, Blue Origin, blasted its third private crew into space with Good Morning America host Michael Strahan, the daughter of famed astronaut Alan Shepard, and four wealthy customers. According to CNN, Saturday’s flight marked the third of what Blue Origin hopes will be many space tourism launches. It also marked the first time that Bezos’ space firm filled all six seats on its New Shepard rocket and capsule, which is named for Alan Shepard, the first American to travel into space. 

The group, which included Alan Shepard’s daughter, Laura Shepard Churchley, blasted off aboard Blue Origin’s suborbital space tourism rocket at 9:01am (local time) from the company’s launch facilities in Texas, US. Blue Origin said that Michael Strahan and Laura were “honorary guests” and did not have to pay their way. New Shepard took a 10-minute flight that reached more than 60 miles about the Earth’s surface before parachuting to a landing. In a video, Strahan called the experience surreal and unbelievable: “Wow! That’s all I can say. Wow!" “TOUCHDOWN has a new meaning now!!!" he tweeted after landing.

'A wholly successful mission'

Following the touchdown, Strahan emerged beaming from the capsule where he was greeted by Jeff Bezos. Last month, the Good Morning America host had announced his plans to join the flight, noting that Blue Origin had him measured for his flight suit and had his test out one of the New Shepard capsule’s seats to ensure he’d fit. Strahan and Laura were joined by four lesser-known, wealthy customers who paid undisclosed but presumably hefty sums for their New Shepard seats - space industry executive Dylan Taylor, engineer-investor Evan Dick, venture capitalist Lane Bess and his 23-year-old son, Cameron Bess.  

According to Blue Origin, the Besses made history as the first parent-child pair to fly in space together. It is to mention that Saturday’s flight followed a similar profile to Actor William Shatner’s October flight when he became the oldest person in space at the age of 90.  Back in July, Bezos had also tagged along on Blue Origin’s inaugural flight, joining his brother, Mark Bezos, trailblazing octogenarian feal aviator Wally Funk, and 18-year-old Oliver Daeman, a Dutch high school graduate and beneficiary of a $28 million auction sweepstake. 

(Image: AP/Twitter)