Arvinder 'Arvi' Singh Bahal: Agra's Real Estate Tycoon to Join Blue Origin's Space Mission
Uttar Pradesh's real estate investor, Arvinder 'Arvi' Singh Bahal, is all set to join Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin's upcoming space tourism flight. The flight, NS-34, is part of Blue Origin's New Shepard programme, set to take off from West Texas on August 3, 2023, at 6 pm IST. The NS-34 has so far taken 70 people past the Karman line, the internationally recognised boundary of space.
Welcoming Arvinder 'Arvi' Singh Bahal on the New Shepard programme, Blue Origin took to X and wrote, “Welcome to Astronaut Village, NS-34 Crew!”
Bahal will be joined by Turkish businessman Gkhan Erdem, Puerto Rican meteorologist and Emmy Award–winning journalist Deborah Martorell, English philanthropist Lionel Pitchford, entrepreneur J.D. Russell, who previously flew on NS-28, and H.E. Justin Sun, the winning bidder of the first New Shepard seat in 2021. Sun bid $28 million, which benefitted 19 space-focused charities and inspired young people in STEAM fields.
This will be the 14th human flight and 34th overall mission for Blue Origin’s New Shepard program.
About Arvinder 'Arvi' Singh Bahal:
Bahal is a US citizen but has roots in Uttar Pradesh's Agra. His journey began from the city on the banks of the Yamuna river. He has stood at both the North and South Poles and skydived Mount Everest and the Pyramids of Giza. Apart from this, Bahal also holds a private pilot's licence and is trained to fly helicopters.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Bahal is the president of Bahal Properties, a real estate company which he has led since 1975. Alongside his global travels, Bahal has built a successful business career. Earlier, Bahal had remarked on his love for challenging boundaries.
Previous Flight:
Earlier on April 14, pop icon Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King, and four other women were part of the Blue Origin mission that lasted approximately 11 minutes, crossing the Kármán line before returning safely to Earth. The flight featured Katy Perry, former NASA engineer Aisha Bowe, astronaut and activist Amanda Nguyễn, CBS host Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sánchez, fiancée of Jeff Bezos.
