Elon Musk will technically become the fat person on Earth next calendar month , when his quad rival and actual ample person on Earth will vanish into space aboard Blue Origin ’s first - ever human flight of steps .
OnJuly 20 , the space society plan to send rider more than 100 klick ( 62 miles ) above the Earth ’s surface onboard reclaimable subocular skyrocket systemNew Shepard . The 10 minute flight will see the crew accelerate to over 3 Gs , before the condensation detaches . At this point , they can unbuckle and feel the personal effects of weightlessness , before rebuckling for reentry into the Earth ’s ambience three minutes after . Passengers will land in the West Texas desert with assistance from a parachute deployed by the capsule , where they will be met by a landing place crowd .
One stern on the capsule is being auction off by Blue Origin , with the highest bid ( at prison term of penning ) at $ 3,500,000 . payoff will go towards Blue Origin ’s foundationClub for the Future , whose mission is to inspire future generations to engage careers in STEM .
The winner of the vendue will get together Bezos and his brother on the first flight of New Shepard , named after the 2d human ( and first American ) in space . Bezos surprise his brother with an invite aboard the rocket , in a video he recorded for an Instagram announcement .
" Ever since I was five years sure-enough , I ’ve woolgather of travel to space , " hewrote on Instagram . " On July 20th , I will take that journeying with my brother . The greatest escapade , with my best friend . "
Bezos stepped down as primary executive officeholder ( CEO ) of Amazon to begin with this year , in fiat to focus on spaceflight company Blue Origin as well as other charitable initiatives . His last day at the companionship will come 15 days before he heads to distance . This prompted many jokes on the net about him fleeing the Earth .
In his announcement video , Bezos go a little more into why he wanted to be aboard Blue Origin ’s first crewed flight .
" To see the Earth from space , it deepen you . It changes your relationship with this satellite , with humanity . It ’s one solid ground , " Bezos said , tote up , “ I want to go on this flight because it ’s a thing I ’ve want to do all my life-time . It ’s an adventure . It ’s a big spate for me . "
He ask for his blood brother , who he describes as his good friend , because he cogitate it would be " meaningful " to have him there .
" I was n’t even expect [ Jeff ] to be there on the first escape , " his buddy said in the video . " And then when he necessitate me , I was just awestruck . What a remarkable chance . "
Richard Branson is set to vanish to place aboard his rival Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo afterward this year , though there are rumour he is impress ahead with plans to establish early , following Bezos ' declaration .
