Gopichand Thotakura is the first Indian pilot who will explore space as a crew member. Know the details; Gopichand Thotakura: Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma is a former pilot of the Indian Air Force. He made history in 1984 as the first Indian to venture into space. However, Pilot Gopichand Thotakura is now poised to become the first Indian tourist to travel to space.
Who is Gopichand Thotakura
He has been selected to join the crew of Blue Origin’s New Shephard-25 (NS-25) mission. It is led by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The exact date of the flight will be announced in due course. Blue Origins, in their description of Thotakura, highlighted his impressive aviation background. They stated, “Gopi is an accomplished pilot and aviator. He took to the skies even before he could drive a car. He has experience flying various types of aircraft. It includes bush planes, aerobatic planes, seaplanes, gliders, and hot air balloons. Additionally, he has served as an international medical jet pilot. As a lifelong traveler, his recent expedition led him to conquer the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro.”
Official statement of Gopichand Thotakura
Expressing his thoughts on being chosen for the space mission, Gopi Thotakura remarked, “…Blue Origin’s motto is ‘for the benefit of earth.’ It is crucial to recognize their commitment to safeguarding our planet. By seeking life and adventure beyond Earth, they are striving to explore the vastness of space. This is how we can protect our mother earth. This is my interpretation of Blue’s mission.” Space tourism is a topic that excites many, including Gopi Thotakura. He believes that it has the potential to open up new opportunities and make space exploration more accessible to civilians. Thotakura expressed his passion for the idea of looking down on Earth from above, emphasizing the unique perspective that only space travel can provide. He also highlighted the importance of making space tourism affordable. He stated that it is the key to unlocking the future of this industry. With companies like Blue Origin working towards this goal, Thotakura sees space tourism as the way forward.
