West Texas: Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, successfully launched its 34th suborbital space tourism mission, NS-34, on Sunday.
Among the six-member international crew was Arvinder “Arvi” Singh Bahal, a real estate investor originally from Agra, India, now a U.S. citizen.
Known for his global adventures — including visits to every country on Earth, expeditions to both poles, and skydives over Mount Everest and the Pyramids of Giza — Bahal’s spaceflight marks a new pinnacle in his lifelong passion for exploration. He also holds a private pilot’s license and has undergone helicopter training.
🔁 NS-34 Replay: Liftoff! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/ncEByexE6U
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) August 3, 2025
The mission lifted off at 6:00 PM IST from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in West Texas. The New Shepard rocket cleared the launch tower within 17 seconds, and the capsule soon separated, allowing passengers to experience weightlessness. The reusable booster safely landed at 7 minutes and 25 seconds, followed by the capsule’s touchdown just over three minutes later, completing an eleven-minute journey to the edge of space — past the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space.
Other NS-34 crew members included Turkish businessman Gökhan Erdem, Puerto Rican journalist Deborah Martorell, British philanthropist Lionel Pitchford, American entrepreneur JD Russell, and Grenadian diplomat Justin Sun.
🔁 NS-34 Replay: Booster Touchdown! pic.twitter.com/WJfGY2mjNa
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) August 3, 2025
The launch brings the total number of people flown by New Shepard to 75, including five repeat fliers.
Highlighting the mission’s global diversity, Blue Origin’s Senior VP Phil Joyce said, “There’s something profoundly unifying about viewing Earth from above — it changes perspectives in a way few other experiences can.”
A Blue Origin spokesperson added, “Arvi’s journey from Agra to the cosmos is a testament to curiosity and ambition without borders.”
