Having arrived in Texas, tried on his flight suit for the first time, French entrepreneur Sylvain Chiron is now gearing up to fulfill his childhood dream. On Sunday, he will board a Blue Origin rocket, becoming part of the exclusive group of humans who have ventured beyond Earth’s confines.
Reflecting on the impending adventure just two days before, the 52-year-old from the mountainous southeastern region of Savoy expressed his disbelief: “I never thought I’d get to do this.” With a touch of humor, he remarked, “We’re going to be astronauts for 15 minutes, so a bit like pretend astronauts, but astronauts nonetheless!”
Blue Origin’s spaceflights offer brief forays just beyond the edge of space, allowing passengers to marvel at the curvature of the Earth and experience weightlessness for a few precious moments. Owned by Jeff Bezos, the company has already sent 31 humans to space aboard its New Shepard suborbital rocket system.
Sunday’s mission marks the first crewed flight after a two-year hiatus and will witness six individuals soaring beyond the Karman Line, the internationally recognized boundary of space, situated 62 miles (100 kilometers) above sea level.
As Chiron prepared for training, including sessions in a flight simulator, he shared his anticipation of witnessing Earth from space: “Seeing the Earth from space… This feeling of leaving the world of men and seeing the Earth as a whole, from above, without borders, in all its fragility and beauty.”
This opportunity is exceptionally rare, with only ten French space agency astronauts having ventured into space thus far. In 2023, French-Italian Ketty Maisonrouge flew with Virgin Galactic, a competitor of Blue Origin.
While the cost of these coveted tickets remains a closely guarded secret, Chiron considers it “expensive but not completely crazy.” He believes his lifelong passion for space played a significant role in his selection, hoping to inspire young people, particularly his own children, aged 14 and 15.
As he chuckled over the notion of becoming “Dad going up in a rocket!” Chiron acknowledged the adventure’s risks. Having harbored dreams of becoming an astronaut since youth, he obtained his private pilot’s license at 16 and attended flying lessons at an American military academy.
Reflecting on his journey from aspiring astronaut to successful businessman, Chiron emphasized his commitment to space development. While critical of the term “space tourism,” he believes these early commercial flights contribute to technological advancements, citing the Apollo program’s influence on modern computing.
In conclusion, Chiron remains steadfast in his belief that space exploration is not just a leisurely pursuit but a vital step towards humanity’s future.
