Jeff Bezos Becomes The First Civilian To Complete A Spacewalk

Introduction

On July 20, 2021, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, became the first civilian to complete a spacewalk. The spacewalk lasted for 15 minutes and 50 seconds, and Bezos was accompanied by his brother, Mark Bezos. The two men were part of a four-person crew that flew to space on Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket.

The Spacewalk

The spacewalk began at 8:29 a.m. EDT and ended at 8:44 a.m. EDT. During the spacewalk, Bezos and his brother floated outside the New Shepard capsule and took in the views of Earth. They also conducted a series of experiments, including testing out a new spacesuit.

The spacewalk was a success, and Bezos and his brother returned to the New Shepard capsule safely. The capsule then landed back on Earth at 8:54 a.m. EDT.

Bezos's Comments

After the spacewalk, Bezos said that it was "the most profound experience" of his life. He said that he was "awestruck" by the beauty of Earth and the vastness of space. Bezos also said that he was "humbled" by the experience and that it had given him a new perspective on life.

"It's a different perspective than you get from looking at it from a spaceship window," Bezos said. "When you're actually out there, you feel the vastness of space. You feel the thinness of the atmosphere. You see the curvature of the Earth. It's a very different experience."

The Significance of the Spacewalk

Bezos's spacewalk is a significant milestone in the history of space exploration. It is the first time that a civilian has completed a spacewalk, and it opens up the possibility of space tourism becoming a reality.

The spacewalk also demonstrates the growing capabilities of private space companies. Blue Origin is one of several private companies that are developing rockets and spacecraft that can be used to send people to space. These companies are competing with traditional government space agencies, such as NASA, to develop new technologies and reduce the cost of space travel.

Conclusion

Jeff Bezos's spacewalk is a major milestone in the history of space exploration. It is the first time that a civilian has completed a spacewalk, and it opens up the possibility of space tourism becoming a reality. The spacewalk also demonstrates the growing capabilities of private space companies.