• UAE adventurer Hamish Harding and five other passengers launched to the edge of space on Blue Origin's New Shepard flight on June 4. Photo: Blue Origin screenshot
    UAE adventurer Hamish Harding and five other passengers launched to the edge of space on Blue Origin's New Shepard flight on June 4. Photo: Blue Origin screenshot
  • Hamish Harding (second to right) with his fellow passengers prepare for their upcoming NS-21 Blue Origin space tourism flight. Katya Echazarreta (right), Victor Correa Hespanha (third to right), Jaison Robinson (third to left), Victor Vescovo (second to left) and Evan Dick (left). Photo: Blue Origin
    Hamish Harding (second to right) with his fellow passengers prepare for their upcoming NS-21 Blue Origin space tourism flight. Katya Echazarreta (right), Victor Correa Hespanha (third to right), Jaison Robinson (third to left), Victor Vescovo (second to left) and Evan Dick (left). Photo: Blue Origin
  • Hamish Harding, a British businessman in the UAE, will fly to the edge of space on a Blue Origin flight. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Hamish Harding, a British businessman in the UAE, will fly to the edge of space on a Blue Origin flight. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • From left: Dylan Taylor, Lane Bess, Cameron Bess, Laura Shepard Churchley, Michael Strahan and Evan Dick were launched into space onboard a Blue Origin rocket on Saturday, December 11, 2021. AP
    From left: Dylan Taylor, Lane Bess, Cameron Bess, Laura Shepard Churchley, Michael Strahan and Evan Dick were launched into space onboard a Blue Origin rocket on Saturday, December 11, 2021. AP
  • Billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of e-commerce company Amazon and Blue Origin, with the crew before the commercial space flight near Van Horn, Texas. Reuters
    Billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of e-commerce company Amazon and Blue Origin, with the crew before the commercial space flight near Van Horn, Texas. Reuters
  • Jeff Bezos walks behind the crew as they proceed to board Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. Reuters
    Jeff Bezos walks behind the crew as they proceed to board Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. Reuters
  • Blast off as the New Shepard rocket heads for space. Blue Origin said that Michael Strahan and Laura Shepard Churchley were 'honorary guests' while the rest of the crew were paying customers. AFP
    Blast off as the New Shepard rocket heads for space. Blue Origin said that Michael Strahan and Laura Shepard Churchley were 'honorary guests' while the rest of the crew were paying customers. AFP
  • The New Shepard rocket soon after launch. The mission is Blue Origin's third manned space flight. AFP
    The New Shepard rocket soon after launch. The mission is Blue Origin's third manned space flight. AFP
  • Spectators near Van Horn, Texas, watch as Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket heads for space. AFP
    Spectators near Van Horn, Texas, watch as Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket heads for space. AFP
  • Among the crew of the New Shepard rocket was Laura Shepard Churchley, daughter of the first American in space, Alan Shepard, after whom the spacecraft was named. Reuters
    Among the crew of the New Shepard rocket was Laura Shepard Churchley, daughter of the first American in space, Alan Shepard, after whom the spacecraft was named. Reuters
  • Blue Origin’s New Shepard crew capsule returns back to Earth after a brief suborbital flight on Saturday, December 11, 2021. AFP
    Blue Origin’s New Shepard crew capsule returns back to Earth after a brief suborbital flight on Saturday, December 11, 2021. AFP
  • The crew capsule soon after landing in West Texas. AFP
    The crew capsule soon after landing in West Texas. AFP
  • Laura Shepard Churchley leads the crew after their return from space. She brought along a small piece of her father's capsule and some mementos from his later trip to the lunar surface aboard Apollo 14 in 1971. AFP
    Laura Shepard Churchley leads the crew after their return from space. She brought along a small piece of her father's capsule and some mementos from his later trip to the lunar surface aboard Apollo 14 in 1971. AFP
  • The commercial space flight was slightly longer than 10 minutes and reached an altitude of about 100 kilometres. It was five minutes and 186km shorter than Alan Shepard's inaugural flight. AFP
    The commercial space flight was slightly longer than 10 minutes and reached an altitude of about 100 kilometres. It was five minutes and 186km shorter than Alan Shepard's inaugural flight. AFP
  • Laura Shepard Churchley wears her father's Naval Academy class ring after her trip to space. Reuters
    Laura Shepard Churchley wears her father's Naval Academy class ring after her trip to space. Reuters
  • 'Good Morning America' co-anchor and former NFL star Michael Strahan with Laura Shepard Churchley on the landing pad after their return from space. AFP
    'Good Morning America' co-anchor and former NFL star Michael Strahan with Laura Shepard Churchley on the landing pad after their return from space. AFP

UAE

British explorer based in UAE to launch into space on Blue Origin flight

Hamish Harding will experience a few minutes of weightlessness after he travels 106 kilometres into orbit on May 20

Sarwat Nasir
Sarwat Nasir

May 17, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

British explorer Hamish Harding, who has called the UAE his home for more than a decade, will travel to space on a Blue Origin suborbital flight.

The businessman, 50, is known for his adrenalin-fuelled stunts, including journeying to the bottom of the ocean in a submarine in 2021.

He will be part of Blue Origin’s NS-21 flight, which will also fly five other paying customers, on May 20, with a launch window starting at 5.30pm UAE time.

The flight also includes investor and NS-19 crew member Evan Dick; electrical engineer and former Nasa test engineer Katya Echazarreta, also the first Mexican-born woman to fly into space; civil production engineer Victor Correa Hespanha; and adventurer Jaison Robinson.

This mission will be the fifth human flight for Blue Origin’s New Shepard programme and the team was announced by the company on May 9.

The space tourism company has launched 20 people on these flights since 2021, including company owner and Amazon-founder Jeff Bezos and Star Trek actor William Shatner.

The suborbital flight involves a vertical launch that takes passengers about 106 kilometres above the ground, bringing a few minutes of weightlessness.

It is a 10-minute trip from lift-off near the rural West Texas town of Van Horn to a parachute landing.

A ticket price on a Blue Origin flight has not been revealed, but a ticket was previously sold for $28 million in an auction.

Hamish Harding is going to space on a Blue Origin flight on May 20. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Hamish Harding is going to space on a Blue Origin flight on May 20. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

Updated: May 18, 2022, 7:43 AM
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