This was published 2 years ago
A seat on Bezos’s space rocket is going for $2.8 million and counting
By Justin Bachman
The bidding stands at $US2.2 million ($2.8 million) and counting for a seat on a spaceflight by Jeff Bezos’s rocket company.
More than 5200 bidders from 136 countries have vied to ride on the July 20 flight of Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, its first carrying people, the company said on Wednesday. The top bid was $US1.4 million after two weeks of sealed offers.
The value surged when Blue Origin began displaying the bidding on its website ahead of a live auction June 12 to determine the winner.
The highest bidder can come along: Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos is auctioning off a trip on his space rocket.Credit: New York Times
The rocket maker, which among other goals is trying to help pioneer space tourism, said on May 5 that it has collected enough data to be ready for operational service after 15 test flights and 16 capsule landings at its West Texas launch site. The trips, each roughly 11 minutes in duration, will take riders above 100 kilometres into suborbital space.
Blue Origin has declined to say how many people will fly on the company’s initial foray with humans, or whether they’ll be employees or customers. The Kent, Washington-based company has yet to unveil its standard ticket prices for future rides.
The auction proceeds will go to Blue Origin’s foundation, which seeks to promote science, technical and math education.
Bloomberg
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