The winning bid hit $28 million for a seat on New Shepard’s first human flight into space by Kent-based Blue Origin. COURTESY PHOTO, Blue Origin

The winning bid hit $28 million for a seat on New Shepard’s first human flight into space by Kent-based Blue Origin. COURTESY PHOTO, Blue Origin

It took $28 million for winning bid on Kent-based Blue Origin’s space flight

Winner’s name to be released later; nearly 7,600 people from 159 countries placed bids for seat

It took a whopping $28 million bid for someone to get the first seat on Kent-based Blue Origin’s first human flight into space.

Blue Origin concluded the online auction on June 12. Nearly 7,600 people registered to bid from 159 countries for the flight on New Shepard, according to a Blue Origin email.

The winning bidder will fly to space with Blue Origin founder, Jeff Bezos, and his brother, Mark Bezos.

The winning bid amount will be donated to Blue Origin’s foundation, Club for the Future, whose mission is to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEM and to help invent the future of life in space.

The name of the auction winner will be released in the coming weeks, according to Blue Origin. The fourth and final crew member also will be announced at that time. The flight will be from Blue Origin’s launch site in West Texas. The flight will last about 11 minutes.

Blue Origin’s goals are to get astronauts back on the Moon and people living and working in space. The company opened in Kent in 2000 and expanded its headquarters in 2020 to a 236,000-square-foot blue-colored facility along 76th Avenue South between South 212th and South 228th streets.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in Business

Courtesy Photo, Republic Services
Republic Services work stoppage continues in Kent

Monday, July 14 marks fourth day of no residential collections; many commercial customers getting service

Courtesy Photo
Work stoppage in Kent halts Republic Services collections | Update

Day 2: Drivers honor strikes in Thurston County and other states against waste collection company

Valley Medical Center in Renton. Photo by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing
Update on Valley Medical Center’s recent challenges

District board pauses some cutbacks

Kent-based Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket prepares for liftoff June 29 in West Texas. COURTESY VIDEO SCREENSHOT, Blue Origin
Kent-based Blue Origin completes 13th human spaceflight

Company has flown 70 people into space after June 29 mission

t
Rite Aid to close Des Moines distribution center; lay off 131

Company had hired more employees at facility 17 months ago but most stores now to close or be sold

Courtesy Photo, Rite Aid
Two Kent Rite Aid locations on potential sale, closure list

Company files for bankruptcy with plans to sell or close stores

Courtesy Photo
Safeway distribution center in Auburn fined for violating new law

Fined $26,000 for quota-related safety and workplace rights violations

t
Ezee Fiber breaks ground in Kent for new internet system

Residents will have another option once company completes construction

t
Kent-based Blue Origin’s space flight draws praise, criticism

Katy Perry sings ‘What a Wonderful World’ during all-female crew flight; some critical of exclusivity

Courtesy Photo, U.S. DOJ
Jury indicts man for stealing nearly $1M from Kent company

Man faces six counts of wire fraud for alleged scheme while IT manager at Algas-SDI

Blue Origin’s New Shepard booster nears touchdown Feb. 4, 2025 in Texas during the NS-29 flight. COURTESY PHOTO, Blue Origin
Kent-based Blue Origin sets all-female flight for April 14

Singer Katy Perry among crew on New Shepard-31 to launch from West Texas

The city-owned Riverbend Golf Complex in Kent will soon have its fifth restaurant in the last 15 years at 2019 W. Meeker St., when the Riverbend Bar and Grill opens this spring. COURTESY PHOTO
New restaurant coming soon to Kent’s Riverbend Golf Complex

Riverbend Bar and Grill scheduled to open this spring at city-owned facility