US-based Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) and Jeff Bezos-led Blue Origin have announced India as a partner nation in their human spaceflight program. This partnership will enable Indian citizens to participate in Blue Origin’s upcoming mission aboard the reusable rocket New Shepard, which will take them on an 11-minute journey past the Karman line, the internationally recognized boundary of space at 100 km above Earth.
The collaboration between SERA and Blue Origin aims to offer six seats to individuals from countries that have sent few or no citizen astronauts to space, including India. The astronauts will experience several minutes of weightlessness before making a controlled descent back to the landing pad.
“We’re excited to have India as part of our human spaceflight program,” said Joshua Skurla, Co-Founder of SERA. He praised India’s achievement of becoming the first country to reach the Moon’s South Pole and expressed enthusiasm about making space accessible to everyone. “We are happy to offer this unique opportunity to an Indian citizen who wants to experience the wonders of space travel,” Skurla added.
You can register by paying Rs 200
Indian citizens can register for the program by paying a fee of approximately $2.50 (Rs. 206), which covers the costs of verification checks to ensure safe and fair voting. The final candidates will be selected through a public vote based on their personal stories, which they can promote via their mission profile pages, social media, and other resources.
The potential astronauts will need to meet Blue Origin’s physical requirements. The final crew of six will arrive three days before the flight for training at Blue Origin’s launch site in West Texas.