Jeff Bezos launches to space with three other crew members Tuesday, July 20, aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket.
Blue Origin

In photos: Jeff Bezos' historic flight to space

Updated 12:20 PM ET, Wed July 21, 2021

Jeff Bezos launches to space with three other crew members Tuesday, July 20, aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket.
Blue Origin

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and the world's richest man, launched himself Tuesday on a supersonic joyride to the edge of space.

The trip marked the first-ever crewed flight of his company Blue Origin's suborbital space tourism rocket, New Shepard. The crew also included Bezos' brother, Mark; Wally Funk, an 82-year-old pilot and one of the "Mercury 13" women; and an 18-year old recent high school graduate named Oliver Daemen, who is Blue Origin's first paying customer. Daemen is now the youngest person to ever fly to space, while Funk is the oldest.

Earlier this month, Richard Branson became the first person to ride into space aboard a rocket he helped fund, beating Bezos by nine days.

Since the early 2000s, Branson and Bezos have been vying to develop, test and launch suborbital rockets that can take wealthy thrill-seekers on brief rides a few dozen miles above Earth. Their efforts have long been framed as a "billionaire space race."

From left, Oliver Daemen, Mark Bezos, Jeff Bezos and Wally Funk hold a news conference after flying into space. "My expectations were high, and they were dramatically exceeded," Jeff Bezos said.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The crew walks toward the reusable rocket booster to pose for a picture after their flight. The booster launched the capsule and then returned to the ground and landed upright.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Wally Funk exits the capsule after landing. Funk, 82, trained for NASA's Mercury program but was denied the opportunity to go to space until now.
Blue Origin
The New Shepard capsule parachutes safely back to Earth.
Tony Gutierrez/AP
The capsule's descent is seen during a watch party in Van Horn, Texas.
Paul Ratje/Reuters
The rocket booster prepares to land.
Blue Origin
Mark and Jeff Bezos show "Hi Mom" written on their hands as the crew floats weightlessly in their capsule at the edge of space.
Blue Origin
The New Shepard rocket launches from Blue Origin's spaceport near Van Horn.
Tony Gutierrez/AP
Spectators watch the launch near Van Horn.
Thom Baur/Reuters
The rocket lifts off.
Joe Skipper/Reuters
Spectators take pictures of the launch.
Thom Baur/Reuters
Reporter Celina Quintana Ortiz prepares to go live from Van Horn on Tuesday in front of a mural depicting Jeff and Mark Bezos.
Paul Ratje/Reuters