Using 'Appa Chance' to Go to Space... 18-Year-Old Prospective College Student Joins Bezos's Space Journey

Passenger Who Paid $30 Million for Boarding Pass Auction Gives Up Seat
Father Bought Boarding Pass for Son's Dream

Blue Origin announced that 18-year-old Oliver Damon will board the space travel rocket 'New Shepard'.

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] A billionaire who had paid about 34.5 billion KRW to travel to space with Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, changed his mind at the last minute. Thanks to this, the youngest astronaut in history, a teenage youth, will head to space with the help of his parents.

Space exploration company Blue Origin announced on the 15th (local time) that the winning bidder for the ticket on the rocket 'New Shepard,' scheduled to launch on the 20th, gave up boarding due to scheduling conflicts, and an 18-year-old student named Oliver Damon will board instead.

Blue Origin emphasized the significance that the first paying space tourist will become the youngest astronaut in history. Since an 82-year-old passenger is already scheduled to board New Shepard, this trip is expected to set new records for both the youngest and oldest astronauts.

Damon graduated from high school last year, spent a year pursuing a pilot's license, and is scheduled to enter Utrecht University in the Netherlands this September.

Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder [Photo by Reuters]

Damon's father, Joe Damon, purchased the space travel ticket for his son, who had been interested in space since childhood. Joe Damon is the founder of Somerset Capital Partners, an investment firm based in the Netherlands. The amount he paid for his son has not been disclosed.

According to Blue Origin, the Damon family expected this space trip to be a realization of a dream.

Bob Smith, CEO of Blue Origin, said in a statement, “Oliver represents a new generation that will help us pave the way to space.”

Wally Funk, who traveled to space at the age of 82
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On this flight, founder Bezos and his brother Mark, along with Wally Funk, who passed NASA’s astronaut testing in the early 1960s in first place but was unable to go to space because she was a woman, will accompany as passengers.

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