GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 1st July. In a landmark development aimed at democratizing space travel, the US-based Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) and Jeff Bezos-led Blue Origin announced India’s participation as a partner nation in their upcoming human spaceflight programme.
SERA, in collaboration with Blue Origin, will reserve a seat on the New Shepard reusable rocket for an Indian citizen, offering them a thrilling 11-minute journey beyond the Karman line, marking the boundary to space at 100 km altitude.
The initiative aims to include citizens from countries with limited or no history of sending astronauts to space. Indian participants will join a select group of six astronauts who will experience several minutes of weightlessness before returning to Earth in a controlled descent.
“We’re thrilled to welcome India into our human spaceflight programme,” said Joshua Skurla, Co-Founder of SERA, emphasizing India’s achievements in space, including being the first country to reach the Moon’s South Pole. He expressed SERA’s commitment to making space accessible to all and highlighted the unique opportunity for an Indian citizen to partake in space travel.
Interested Indian citizens can register for the programme by paying a fee of approximately $2.50 to cover verification costs ensuring safety and fairness. Candidates will be selected through a public voting process based on their personal stories and mission profiles shared through social media and other platforms.
Prospective astronauts must meet Blue Origin’s physical requirements and will undergo training at the company’s launch site in West Texas, starting three days before the scheduled flight.
The partnership highlights India’s growing role in the global space exploration arena, offering its citizens an unprecedented chance to venture into space with a pioneering international initiative.
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