In collaboration with Blue Origin, the Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) has welcomed India into their pioneering human spaceflight initiative tailored for countries that have sent very few astronauts or no astronauts to space.
Based in the United States, SERA has announced an opportunity for global citizens to secure six seats on an upcoming New Shepard mission, Blue Origin’s innovative reusable suborbital rocket.
Interested Indian citizens can apply for the program by paying a nominal fee of $2.50 (approximately Rs 207.5) to cover verification costs, ensuring fair and safe participation. The final candidates will be chosen through public voting, allowing them to journey into space aboard the New Shepard mission.
Blue Origin, founded by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, specializes in developing reusable rocket engines, launch vehicles, and lunar landers. SERA was established to forge a global community dedicated to advancing space exploration and research, aiming to make space accessible to people worldwide.
Joshua Skurla, the co-founder of SERA, expressed excitement about India joining their human spaceflight program. Astronauts selected for the mission will experience several minutes of weightlessness before safely returning to Earth.
“Our mission is to democratize space by enabling citizens from over 150 countries with limited access to space to engage in groundbreaking research and contribute to the future of space exploration,” Skurla emphasized. “We aspire to empower global participation and ensure diverse voices are heard in shaping our space endeavors.”
Prospective astronauts must meet Blue Origin’s physical requirements and can campaign for votes by sharing their mission profiles on social media and other platforms. Voting will proceed through three phases of candidate elimination, with the public voting for candidates from their respective nations or regions, except for one global seat.
Sam Hutchison, another co-founder of SERA, highlighted the importance of empowering communities to select their astronauts. This approach should foster an environment where different countries can dialogue about space exploration and encourage international collaboration.
The final six crew members will undergo training at Blue Origin’s launch site in West Texas, beginning three days before the flight. Blue Origin remains steadfast in its mission to reduce the cost of space access and harness its resources to propel future generations toward the frontier of space exploration.
