Meet Gopi Thotakura, India's Second Astronaut To Fly To Space. All About Him And His Blue Origin Mission

Gopichand Thotakura has flown over 2,000 medical air ambulance missions for India, and has contributed significantly to emergency medical aviation in the Indian subcontinent.

A pilot and aviator, Thotakura learned how to fly before he could drive, and has co-founded Preserve Life Corp, a global centre for holistic wellness and applied health located near Atlanta. Not only does Thotakura fly jets commercially, but also pilots aerobatic planes. ( Image Source :Blue Origin )

Gopichand 'Gopi' Thotakura is set to become the second Indian astronaut to fly to space, and the country's first civilian astronaut, after Rakesh Sharma, who flew to space on April 3, 1984, as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme, onboard the Soyuz T-11 spacecraft. On May 19, 2024, at 9:13 am CDT (7:43 pm IST), Thotakura will fly to space with five other crew members as part of Blue Origin's seventh human spaceflight mission, NS-25. Thotakura's fellow crew members are: Mason Angel, Sylvain