You Can Now Bid for a Seat on Blue Origin's First Passenger Flight into Space
Jeff Bezos' space exploration company saved a seat for you.
Have you ever wanted to go to space? Strangely enough, Jeff Bezos wants to send you there.
Blue Origin, Bezos' lesser-known company, has been testing a reusable rocket for the past few years, and it's finally ready to take some passengers into orbit. On July 20, a small team of astronauts will take a short trip to the edge of space aboard the New Shepard, and one of those people could be you—if you place the highest bid.
There will be three phases of bidding, and if you make it to the end, the seat is yours. Here's how it'll work:
- The sealed online bidding process is happening from now through May 19, during which time you can privately bid any amount you want on the auction website. Nobody's bids are visible, so it's up to you to name a price on what you think the experience is worth.
- The unsealed online bidding will happen on May 19, at which point everybody's bids will be made visible and participants who wish to continue to the final round will need to exceed the highest bid that was previously made.
- The live auction will happen on June 12, at which point everyone who upped the ante in the second round can take part in a live online bidding war to determine who is selected.
If you haven't noticed by now, whoever makes it onto the New Shepard will likely have deep wallets, but if you're up for the challenge anyway, it never hurts to place a silent bid and see what happens. To enter the competition, register here.
Lord knows Bezos doesn't need more of your cash, which is why proceeds from the seat auction will go toward Blue Origin's foundation, Club for the Future, an organization that aims to inspire future generations to chase careers in STEM.
Keep scrolling for more images of the New Shepard rocket during its test flights.
