Former air ambulance pilot all set to become India's first space tourist

Air Ambulance Pilot Gopichand Thotakura

Gopichand Thotakura is all set to become the first Indian space tourist after being named as one of the six crew members of the NS25 mission of Blue Origin (Jeff Bezos' space company). He is the second Indian ever to go to the space after Rakesh Sharma.

The NS25 will use the new Shephard Rocket and it will be the first crewed mission of the New Shepheard rocket since NS22 in 2022. The date of the program is not yet announced. Blue announced the six crew members for NS25 on X the five members accompanying Thotakura are Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Ed Dwight, Ken Hess and Carol Schaller.

Thotakura was born in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh and graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science. He later studied aviation at Emirates Aviation University in Dubai. Thotakura is the co-founder of Preserve Life Corp, a global wellness centre near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

He has experience in flying aircraft as he has piloted flying jets, bush, aerobatic, and seaplanes, as well as gliders and hot air balloons in the USA. On returning to India he flew medical jets and air ambulance.

Thotakura told ANI it was always his dream to go to space and Blue gave him that opportunity. he talked about how Blue Origin's mission is to protect mother Earth through these missions. He also shared how excited he is to see the space not in the movie but from his very own eyes this time.

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