Blue Origin announces crew of New Shepard’s 34th Mission

Blue Origin via X

EL PASO, Texas - Blue Origin announced the crew of the New Shepard's 34th Mission today. The crew includes Arvi Bahal, Gökhan Erdem, Deborah Martorell, Lionel Pitchford, J.D. Russell, and H.E. Justin Sun. Sun was the winning bidder of the first New Shepard seat in 2021.

"The proceeds from the $28 million bid benefitted 19 space-focused charities to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEAM and help shape the future of life in space," Blue Origin explained. The crew also includes a second-time-flyer. Russell was also on NS-28.

Blue Origin launches its New Shepard rocket from a site in West Texas outside of Van Horn.

Blue Origin provided the following bios for each crew member:

Arvinder (Arvi) Singh Bahal

"Arvi is a real estate investor born in Agra, India, and now a naturalized U.S. citizen. A lifelong traveler and adventurer, Arvi has visited every country in the world, the North and South Poles, and skydived Mount Everest and the Pyramids of Giza. He holds a private pilot’s license and also flies helicopters."

Gökhan Erdem

"Gökhan is a Turkish businessman and a board member of Erdem Holding, a diverse group of companies operating in the energy, telecommunications, construction, and manufacturing sectors. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Gökhan is a passionate space enthusiast and an avid photographer. Deeply inspired by space exploration, he dreams of one day traveling to the International Space Station and possibly even beyond."

Deborah Martorell

"Deborah is a Puerto Rican meteorologist and journalist. Her reporting on environmental and space topics has garnered eight Emmy Awards and two Awards of Excellence in Science Reporting from the American Meteorological Society. Her passion for space led her to participate in a 2007 microgravity flight with NASA, extensively cover Puerto Rican astronauts Joe Acabá and Marcos Berríos, and report on missions including STS-119, Artemis 1, and the launch of Puerto Rico's first nanosatellite, CuNARD-2. She was selected for the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences’ project PoSSUM, and is also a Solar System Ambassador for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration."

Lionel Pitchford

"Lionel is an Englishman who has spent the last four decades in Spain working as a teacher, translator, and tour guide as a means to travel the world. In 1992, following a plane crash with his sister and her family onboard, Lionel founded a nonprofit in Nepal dedicated to serving disadvantaged children and girls. He’s also run an orphanage in Kathmandu for over 30 years. Lionel has dreamed of flying to space since catching the travel bug and is astonished it's now possible for ordinary people. He aims to inspire others they can do the same."

James (J.D.) Russell

"J.D. is a serial entrepreneur and founder of Alpha Funds, a technology-focused venture capital company, and Alpha Aerospace, an aerospace consulting and solutions company. He founded the Victoria Russell Foundation to honor the memory of his deceased daughter. The foundation is dedicated to supporting children’s education and assisting the families of first responders. It's a proud partner with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to bring the love of reading to children by gifting books free of charge to children. J.D. first flew to space on NS-28 on November 22, 2024."

H.E. Justin Sun

"H.E. Justin Sun is the Ambassador and former Permanent Representative of Grenada to the WTO, Prime Minister of Liberland, Founder of TRON, a world-leading blockchain and DAO, and Advisor to HTX, one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges. A protégé of Alibaba's Jack Ma, Sun was featured on the cover of Forbes Magazine in April 2025, where he was recognized as one of the most dynamic and outspoken figures in crypto and earning the moniker 'Crypto’s Billionaire Barker' for his bold approach to innovation, advocacy, and industry leadership. He’s been named on Forbes' 30 under 30 list in the Consumer Technology category several times, among other global recognitions. Sun is an avid art collector, gamer, investor, philanthropist, and space enthusiast. In 2021, Justin placed the winning bid for the first seat on New Shepard. The $28 million in proceeds were donated to Blue Origin’s foundation, Club for the Future, which selected 19 space-focused nonprofits to each receive a $1 million grant to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEAM and help invent the future of life in space."

Quelle: KVIA-TV