Who is Arvinder Singh Bahal? The 80-year-old adventurer flying to space aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin mission on August 3
Blue Origin
's
New Shepard NS-34
space tourism mission, joining an elite group of private citizens who have crossed Earth's atmospheric boundary. For Bahal, this experience goes beyond the thrill of weightlessness symbolising decades of curiosity, courage, and relentless exploration. Having visited all 196 countries and seven continents, his adventurous spirit has taken him from polar ice fields to Mount Everest's skies. Now, at 80, Bahal's leap into space embodies the belief that it's never too late to chase extraordinary dreams and redefine human potential.
Blue Origin sets August 3 launch for New Shepard NS-34 space tourism mission: Timing and live streaming
Jeff Bezos
' aerospace company, Blue Origin, has officially announced the launch schedule for its next suborbital
space tourism
mission, New Shepard NS-34. The flight is currently targeted for Sunday, August 3, 2025, marking the 34th mission overall for the New Shepard spacecraft and the 14th crewed flight. The NS-34 mission will lift off from Blue Origin's private launch site in West Texas, near the town of Van Horn. The launch window opens at 8:30 am EDT (12:30 GMT; 7:30 a.m. local time in Texas).
For space enthusiasts worldwide, Blue Origin will broadcast the event live, with coverage beginning 30 minutes before liftoff, offering real-time views of the historic flight.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Arvinder Singh Bahal's early life and move to the United States
Born near the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra, Bahal's childhood ambitions included a career in the Indian Army. However, life took a different course when he shifted to entrepreneurship, initially working on a tea plantation in Darjeeling and later running a garment manufacturing business near Delhi. His life changed dramatically in 1975 when he traveled to the United States with just $108 in his pocket to sell his products. Impressed by the opportunities there, Bahal immigrated permanently, becoming a US citizen by the late 1970s. He built a thriving career as president of Bahal Properties, a real estate firm that provided both financial stability and the freedom to pursue his passion for travel.
From Mount Everest to the Pyramids: Bahal's global travel legacy
Bahal's life is a testament to curiosity and relentless exploration. He has visited all 196 countries and all seven continents, from the icy frontiers of the North and South Poles to skydiving above Mount Everest and exploring the ancient Pyramids of Giza. He has documented his journeys extensively, maintaining an archive of over one million photographs and authoring travel literature, including 'The Tireless Traveler,' which also serves as the name of his website. His Instagram highlights visits to Sikh shrines, Mongolia's eagle festivals, and even conflict-ridden Afghanistan, demonstrating his fearless approach to exploration.
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin makes Bahal's space travel dream a reality
Bahal's fascination with space travel began long before Blue Origin became a household name. Over a decade ago, he reserved a spot with Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic as 'Future Astronaut No. 326,' but those plans stalled when the company ended operations in 2023. Undeterred, Bahal kept his dream alive, and in 2025, it finally materialized with Blue Origin's New Shepard NS-34 mission. The suborbital flight, scheduled for launch from West Texas, will take Bahal and five other passengers—entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and journalists—across the Kármán line, the recognized boundary of space.
Founded by Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin aims to make space accessible to non-astronauts, democratizing exploration once limited to government programs. The New Shepard spacecraft, designed for suborbital tourism, has already flown 70 individuals into space and safely returned them to Earth. The NS-34 mission marks its 14th crewed flight and 34th overall, continuing Blue Origin's push to normalize short-duration, high-altitude space experiences. Unlike SpaceX, which focuses on orbital flights, Blue Origin offers a faster, more accessible path to space for enthusiasts like Bahal.
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