Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin recently made the announcement that Oliver Daemen will to be the first paying consumer to fly aboard the New Shepard, signifying the start of commercial operations for this program. He will come alongside Bezos, Mark Bezos, and Wally Funk for the space company's first human flight on July 20.
Daemen, at 18 years, and Funk, at 82 years, both stand for the youngest and oldest astronauts to fly out into space.
The individual who originally won Blue Origin's auction, who has requested to have his or her identity to remain undisclosed at this present time, has decided to fly on a New Shepard Mission in the future because of present conflicts in schedule.
Additionally, Club for the Future revealed this week that the auction gift has permitted the Club to offer $1 million to 19 non-profit organizations, who are all working to establish the future of living and working in space.
"We thank the auction winner for their generous support of Club for the Future and are honored to welcome Oliver to fly with us on New Shepard," stated Bob Smith, CEO of Blue Origin, in a press statement. "This marks the beginning of commercial operations for New Shepard, and Oliver represents a new generation of people who will help us build a road to space."
For Daemen, this flight to space will "fulfill a lifelong dream." He has been forever interested in space, the moon, and rockets, ever since he was a toddler. A high school graduate of the year 2020, Daemen took a gap year off in order to further his studies in private pilot licensing. This coming September, Daemen plans to go to the University of Utrecht to continue studying in the topics of physics and innovation management.
The future of flying on the New Shepard, marked by a willingness to experience new ventures and feats, will be proven by Oliver Daemen to hopefully pave the road success, given that he will be the youngest individual to fly into space. He will surely serve as an inspiration to those who wish to fulfill their dreams of going into space, against any odds or obstacles that may present themselves.