Daughter of First US Astronaut to Join Blue Origin's December Flight Alongside 5 Others

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Private space firm Blue Origin, owned by Jeff Bezos, announced on Tuesday that the daughter of the first US astronaut, Alan Shepard, will join the upcoming flight in December along with five other people.

"Blue Origin today announced that the crew of its upcoming NS-19 flight on December 9 will include two honorary guests and four paying customers. Guests include Good Morning America co-anchor Michael Strahan and Laura Shepard Churchley, the eldest daughter of Alan Shepard, who was the first American to fly to space," Blue Origin said.

Shepherd currently serves as chair of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Board of Trustees, a group that raises funds for college students.

Space industry executive and philanthropist Dylan Taylor, investor Evan Dick, Bess Ventures founder Lane Bess, and Cameron Bess will join the crew.

"This mission furthers the company’s vision of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. It will be New Shepard’s third human flight this year, the sixth for the program in 2021, and the 19th in its history. It will carry a full manifest of six astronauts to space for the first time," the statement added.

Live launch coverage will start on the BlueOrigin.com website. The lift-off will take place from Launch Site One in West Texas.

Alan Shepard became the second person and the first American citizen to travel into space in 1961. In 1971, he was among the US astronauts who walked on the Moon.