Blue Origin spaceflight: ‘SNL’ star Pete Davidson replaced by New Shepard architect Gary Lai
NS-20 will liftoff from Blue Origin's Launch Site One in Van Horn, Texas, on March 29
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Blue Origin has tapped the chief architect of its New Shepard rocket system, Gary Lai, to serve as the sixth crew member of its upcoming NS-20 spaceflight, replacing "Saturday Night Live" star Pete Davidson.
SNL'S PETE DAVIDSON NO LONGER FLYING WITH JEFF BEZOS' BLUE ORIGIN
Lai, who joined the Jeff Bezos-owned aerospace company in 2004 and was among its first 20 employees, is currently responsible for all next generation designs, upgrades and new product development for the New Shepard business.
Gary Lai, who joined the Jeff Bezos-owned aerospace company in 2004 and was among its first 20 employees, is currently responsible for all next generation designs, upgrades and new product development for the New Shepard business. (Blue Origin)
In addition to leading the team responsible for the design and development of many of the key safety systems on New Shepard's crew capsule, Lai has been involved in product development, strategic planning and business development for all Blue Origin product lines, including the New Glenn orbital launch vehicle, rocket engine programs and Blue Moon lander. In 2019, Lai received the Blue Origin Founder’s Award for his technical ambition and achievement.
New Shepard rocket system chief architect, Gary Lai
Angel investor and former Party America CEO Marty Allen
SpaceKids Global founder Sharon Hagle
Tricor International CEO Marc Hagle
Teacher, entrepreneur and world explorer Jim Kitchen
Commercial Space Technologies president and former Federal Aviation Administration Office of Commercial Space Transportation associate administrator George Nield
Joining Lai on the spaceflight will be angel investor and former Party America CEO Marty Allen; SpaceKids Global founder Sharon Hagle and her husband, Tricor International CEO Marc Hagle; teacher, entrepreneur and world explorer Jim Kitchen; and Commercial Space Technologies president and former Federal Aviation Administration Office of Commercial Space Transportation associate administrator George Nield.
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Prior to the NS-20's mission postponement, Davidson was slated to become the latest celebrity to fly aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket as an honorary guest on March 23. Blue Origin and Davidson have not publicly disclosed why he was no longer able to join the flight.
In December, "Good Morning America" anchor and former NFL player Michael Strahan and astronaut Alan Shepard's eldest daughter, Laura Shepard Churchley, flew as honorary guests on Blue Origin's NS-19 flight. In October, "Star Trek" veteran William Shatner became the oldest person to reach space after flying with Blue Origin's NS-18 flight in October. Following his flight, the 91-year-old actor said space was "unlike anything I've ever seen."
Female aerospace pioneer Wally Funk joined Blue Origin's first human spaceflight in July as an honorary guest. Funk flew with Bezos, his brother Mark and the youngest person to ever fly to space, 19-year-old Oliver Daeman.
This photo provided by Blue Origin shows, from left: Dylan Taylor, Lane Bess, Cameron Bess, Laura Shepard Churchley, Michael Strahan and Evan Dick.
From left: Chris Boshuizen, William Shatner, Audrey Powers and Glen de Vries.
From left to right: Mark Bezos, brother of Jeff Bezos; Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and space tourism company Blue Origin; Oliver Daemen, of the Netherlands; and Wally Funk, aviation pioneer from Texas.
NS-20 will liftoff from Blue Origin's Launch Site One in Van Horn, Texas, on March 29. New Shepard carries crew members above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space, where they experience several minutes of weightlessness before making their descent back to Earth.