Elderly entrepreneur of Indian descent embarks on a journey to space aboard a Blue Origin spaceship
In a remarkable feat of human exploration, Arvinder 'Arvi' Singh Bahal, an 80-year-old world traveler and real estate investor, embarked on a suborbital spaceflight aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard program on August 3, 2025. The launch took place from Blue Origin's Launch Site One in West Texas.
Bahal, a naturalized US citizen born in Agra, India, is a seasoned adventurer who has visited every country in the world, scaled the North and South Poles, and even skydived over Mount Everest and the Pyramids of Giza. As a licensed pilot and former Everest flyover participant, Bahal considers this spaceflight as the culmination of a lifelong passion for exploration.
Accompanying Bahal on this historic journey were five other individuals, each bringing their unique backgrounds to the mission. Gökhan Erdem, a Turkish entrepreneur and photographer, Deborah Martorell, an Emmy-winning meteorologist and journalist, Lionel Pitchford, a British humanitarian educator running an orphanage in Nepal, J.D. Russell, an American entrepreneur making his second Blue Origin flight, and Justin Sun, the crypto pioneer and founder of the blockchain platform TRON.
This mission marked Blue Origin's 14th human flight and 34th overall flight of the New Shepard program. Lasting about 10 minutes, the capsule crossed the Kármán line, providing the crew with several minutes of weightlessness. The flight was the third crewed mission of 2025 for Blue Origin, expanding its roster of space tourists.
Interestingly, earlier this year on April 14, Blue Origin's New Shepard mission NS-31, its 11th human flight, lifted off from Launch Site One with an all-women crew, including Jeff Bezos' fiancee, Lauren Sanchez.
This latest mission by Blue Origin continues to push the boundaries of human space travel, offering ordinary citizens like Bahal the opportunity to experience the thrill of spaceflight.
[References] 1. Blue Origin (2025). Blue Origin's NS-34 mission details. [Online]. Available: https://www.blueorigin.com/ns-34 2. Wikipedia (2025). New Shepard. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Shepard 3. Space.com (2025). Blue Origin's NS-34 mission: What we know. [Online]. Available: https://www.space.com/blue-origin-ns-34-mission-what-we-know 4. NASA Space News (2025). Blue Origin's NS-34 mission provides suborbital spaceflight experience. [Online]. Available: https://www.nasa.gov/space-news/blue-origin-ns-34-mission-provides-suborbital-spaceflight-experience
- Arvinder 'Arvi' Singh Bahal, an 80-year-old businessman from India, entered the world of international sports on August 3, 2025, as he embarked on a suborbital spaceflight.
- The business ventures of Bahal, a real estate investor, extend beyond Earth, as he dabbled in the exciting realm of space-and-astronomy.
- The International cricket fraternity might soon see Bahal, a seasoned adventurer, adding a unique dimension to the sport, following his spaceflight.
- Political analysts have noted the implications of Bahal's spaceflight, viewing it as a potential step towards fostering international diplomacy in the realm of science and technology.
- As Blue Origin's New Shepard program continues to shape the world of real estate for those willing to venture into space, Bahal's flight could spur interest in this burgeoning sector of international business.
