Six People, Including a Science Show Host, Set for Space Adventure

Get ready for an out-of-this-world trip! Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket is gearing up to launch six people into space this Friday. Among them is Emily Calandrelli, also known as “Space Gal, ” who is thrilled about her upcoming journey. She’s an MIT engineer and a popular science show host known for her work in inspiring young people, especially girls, to dive into STEM fields. Calandrelli isn’t just packing her bags; she’s also bringing along a special flash drive filled with dreams from her followers to take to space. She’s even raised over $9, 700 for children’s charities through this initiative. Joining her are Sharon and Marc Hagle, who are no strangers to space travel. They were the first married couple to fly on a commercial space vehicle back in 2022. Two more philanthropists, James “JD” Russell and Henry Wolfond, will also be on board. Russell started the Victoria Russell Foundation to support children's education and families of first responders. Wolfond, on the other hand, is engaged in combating antisemitism and promoting autism acceptance. Amid these notable figures is Austin Litteral, a financial services worker from Arizona. He won his seat through an online prize, fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut. Blue Origin has been making waves since 2021, with 43 people already launched into space, including the company's founder, Jeff Bezos. The launch is planned for 9:30 a. m. CST on Friday, and you can catch all the action on Blue Origin’s website.