London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Jeff Bezos asks woman, 82, to travel into space with him

Jeff Bezos asks woman, 82, to travel into space with him

Amazon boss Jeff Bezos has asked an 82-year-old woman to travel into space with him later this month.

Wally Funk will join Bezos and his brother Mark onboard the first human flight in one of the multi-billionaire’s space company’s rockets, on July 20.

In 1961 Funk, 82, was a part of the ‘Mercury 13’ Woman in Space Program and despite completing her training as an astronaut, never got to travel into space.

She will occupy the third and final seat onboard the Blue Origin rocket when it leaves earth’s atmosphere and travels into space in less than three weeks time.

Wally trained as an astronaut in 1961 but never got to go to space

Wally Funk, 82, has always wanted to travel into space


In June Bezos opened bidding for an auction for the final seat on the spaceship which included nearly 6,000 participants from 143 countries.

It’s unclear if Funk won the auction or has been hand-picked by Bezos himself.

In a video posted on Instagram to announce Funk’s involvement in the adventure, she said she has been flying planes all her life and has more than 19,000 flying hours.

She also explained how she has taught more than 3,000 people to fly throughout her career.

‘I can’t tell people how fabulous I feel to have been picked to go on this trip’, said an elated Funk.

She added: ‘I will love every second of it and can hardly wait.’

Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000 and established a launch facility in West Texas in 2015. The name New Shepherd comes from Alan Shepherd, the first American to travel into space back in 1961.


Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos speaks after receiving the 2019 International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Excellence in Industry Award on October 22, 2019


Blue Origin has been locked in competition with another private space company, Elon Musk’s SpaceX, for lucrative Nasa contracts.

The compartment at the tip of the New Shephard rocket is where Bezos and other paying tourists will sit during their trip to the cosmos.

The capsule is designed to carry up to six passengers, who will float in zero gravity for 10 minutes while taking in the views at some 340,000 feet above Earth’s surface.

The seats recline fully and the capsule is fitted with the largest windows to ever travel into space.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×