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In a significant breakthrough, pilot Gopichand Thotakura is poised to make history as the first Indian to embark on a space tourism mission. He has been selected as a member of the elite crew for Blue Origin's New Shepard-25 (NS-25) flight, which will take him and five other candidates beyond Earth's atmosphere.

Ed Dwight, a prominent figure in space history, is also among these candidates. He reportedly became the first Black astronaut candidate in 1961, when President John F. Kennedy selected him for training at the Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS). Despite this milestone, Dwight never got the opportunity to travel into space. Apart from Thotakura and Ed Dwight, the mission will also include four other astronauts- Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Kenneth L. Hess, and Carol Schaller.

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Who Is Gopi Thotakura, Set To Become India’s First Space Tourist

- Blue Origin, the space startup spearheaded by Jeff Bezos, describes entrepreneur Gopi Thotakura as the "pilot and aviator who learned how to fly before he could drive." He is also a co-founder of Preserve Life Corp, a Georgia-based holistic wellness and applied health centre.

- Thotakura completed his graduation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science.

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- Gopichand Thotakura, who was born in Andhra Pradesh’s Vijayawada, now runs Preserve Life Corp, a global centre for holistic wellness and applied health headquartered near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. 

- Thotakura attended Sarala Birla Academy in Bengaluru before earning a Bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Sciences from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, as reported by NDTV.