A few days ago, an anonymous bidder paid $28 million at auction for a seat on Blue Origin's inaugural commercial flight. Unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts, they've passed the ticket to 18-year-old Dutch student Oliver Daemen.
Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket is set for its first crewed commercial launch on July 20—exactly 52 years after Apollo 11's Moon landing. Jeff Bezos will fly alongside his brother Mark Bezos and 82-year-old aviator Wally Funk, who will become the oldest woman in space.
The fourth seat, originally auctioned for $28 million, was relinquished by the winner for professional reasons, per Blue Origin. Stepping in is Oliver Daemen, son of a private equity firm executive and an auction finalist. This 18-year-old will become the youngest person ever to reach space.
Set to begin studies at Utrecht University this fall, Daemen shared his excitement in a family statement: "It's a dream come true! I hadn't expected this until Blue Origin's surprising call last week. It's incredibly cool! This 10-minute journey to and through space will be the most special moments of my life."
Blue Origin has not disclosed Daemen's ticket price, though his family confirms it's well below $28 million. Proceeds from the ticket will support an undisclosed charity. Separately, Blue Origin announced that $19 million of the auction winnings will fund 19 space-focused nonprofits ($1 million each).
