Gopichand Thotakura, India’s first civilian space tourist, received a warm reception upon his arrival in Delhi on Monday. Thotakura traveled to space as part of Blue Origin’s New Shepard-25 (NS-25) mission, led by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Expressing his joy, Thotakura said, “It’s been a long-awaited feeling. I am thrilled to be back home and proud to represent India. I hope others will also get the opportunity to explore space with Blue Origin or other organizations.” He looked forward to reuniting with his family and acknowledged the excitement surrounding his historic journey.
Thotakura made history as the second Indian citizen to travel to space, following Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who was the first in 1984.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Thotakura shared his passion for flying and his vision for space tourism. He emphasized the importance of protecting Earth and discussed the potential of space tourism to become more affordable and accessible. “Seeing Earth from space is a unique experience that movies can only depict so well,” he said. “It’s about looking back at our planet with your own eyes.”
He highlighted Blue Origin’s mission to advance space exploration and emphasized their collaboration with NASA to develop a private international space station. Thotakura views space tourism as a significant part of the future and encourages younger generations to pursue their dreams with determination.
The NS-25 mission’s crew also included Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Kenneth L Hess, Carol Schaller, and former Air Force Captain Ed Dwight. Notably, Dwight was selected by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 as the first black astronaut candidate but never had the opportunity to fly to space.
