American billionaire Jeff Bezos announced today, Monday, that he will fly on the first manned flight of his company "Blue Origin," which is scheduled for launch on July 20. The world's richest man said in a video posted on his Instagram account, "I want to go on this trip because it’s something I’ve wanted to do all my life." He is set to be accompanied by his brother, Mark, as well as the winner of an auction for one of the seats. The highest bid reached $2.8 million as of Monday morning, just five days before the auction closes, according to CNBC. Mark Bezos stated in the video, "I didn’t even expect him to be on the first flight. What a great opportunity, not just to have this adventure but to do it with my best friend."
The space tourism system of "Blue Origin" consists of a rocket that carries a capsule to the edge of outer space, having previously completed over 12 successful test flights without passengers, and is known as "New Shepard." The rocket is designed to carry up to 6 people on a space journey, with the capsules in previous test flights reaching altitudes exceeding 340,000 feet (over 100 kilometers). The capsule features large windows to offer passengers a close-up view of outer space and allows them to experience a few minutes of weightlessness before returning directly to Earth.
