On July 20, former Amazon Chief, Jeff Bezos and his brother, Mark, will undertake their maiden voyage to space, and will be accompanied by 82-year-old Mary Wallace Funk, making her the oldest person to ever travel to space. Interestingly, Wally Funk (as she’s more popularly known), a former pilot, was supposed to go to space 60 years ago, after having cleared all the necessary tests and training one requires to make the challenging journey. However, the only thing that held her back from making that journey, was her gender.
On Instagram, Bezos welcomed the former pilot with a post, saying, “No one has waited longer. In 1961, Wally Funk was at the top of her class as part of the “Mercury 13” Woman in Space Program. Despite completing their training, the program was cancelled, and none of the thirteen flew. It’s time. Welcome to the crew, Wally. We’re excited to have you fly with us on July 20th as our honoured guest.”
Earlier, Blue Origin had auctioned off a seat on New Shepard for $28 million. The anonymous bidder is said to fly to space along with the crew, on the company’s first human flight set to blast off on July 20. According to reports, over 7,600 people from 159 countries had registered to bid for that coveted seat. What’s more, the bidding amount will be donated to Blue Origin’s foundation, Club for the Future, whose aim is to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEM, and to help further space exploration and perhaps build a the future in space.
Bezos had previously shared a video on his Instagram announcing his visit to space. He wrote, “Ever since I was five years old, I’ve dreamed of travelling to space. On July 20th, I will take that journey with my brother. The greatest adventure, with my best friend.”
Bezos formally stepped down as the CEO and co-founder of Amazon on July 5. He will now take over as the executive chairman of Blue Origin in the third quarter of this year.