The 28 Million Space Bid: June 2021 Auction Result
The winning auction offer became a headline moment for Blue Origin in June 2021. The company concluded its auction for the first New Shepard passenger seat on 12 June. Our original report covered the result as preparations continued for the first human flight.
Blue Origin said nearly 7,600 people from 159 countries had registered to bid. In addition, the winning offer reached $28 million. Read the company’s auction result announcement for the original details.
Supporting Science and Space Education
The 28 million space bid also had an educational purpose. Blue Origin said the money would go to its foundation, Club for the Future. In particular, the organisation aims to inspire future generations to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Therefore, the auction amount should not be treated as a standard New Shepard ticket price. It reflected a specific bidding competition and a charitable contribution. Meanwhile, ordinary reservations and a one-off auction involve different ways of allocating a seat.
28 Million Space Bid: What Happened Next?
The original plan placed the auction winner on the first human flight alongside Jeff and Mark Bezos. However, Blue Origin later announced that the winner would fly on a future mission because of scheduling conflicts.
On 15 July, the company named Oliver Daemen as the first paying customer for the upcoming journey. He would join Jeff Bezos, Mark Bezos and Wally Funk. See Blue Origin’s passenger update for that change to the earlier plan.
Explore More Commercial Spaceflight Stories
The 28 million space bid article records the auction announcement and its later context. To discover more developments, browse RocketBreaks news. Alternatively, explore our Earth-based space experiences for activities that connect with space closer to home.