Indian American adventurer Arvinder “Arvi” Singh Bahal created history earlier this month as the first turbaned-Sikh to venture into space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard.
Bahal joined the company’s 14th human spaceflight and 34th mission, which lifted off on Aug. 3 from West Texas, carrying six crew members.
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Bahal, born in Agra, India, is a real estate investor and a naturalized U.S. citizen. A seasoned traveler and explorer, he has visited every country in the world, reached both the North and South Poles, and undertaken skydives over Mount Everest and the Pyramids of Giza. He is also a licensed pilot and helicopter flyer.
At the Kármán line, all walks of life come together.
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) August 4, 2025
On August 3, Blue Origin successfully completed its 14th human spaceflight and the 34th flight for the New Shepard program. pic.twitter.com/6WoNBZptxM
The mission’s crew also included Gökhan Erdem of Turkey, Puerto Rican meteorologist Deborah Martorell, Lionel Pitchford of the UK,
J.D. Russell of the U.S., and Justin Sun of Grenada. Blue Origin’s mission patch for NS-34 incorporated symbols representing each crew member. For Bahal, the globe symbolized his passion for global travel and exploration, including journeys to remote locations such as the poles.
The suborbital flight lasted approximately 10 minutes from liftoff to capsule landing, offering the crew a brief experience of weightlessness and views of Earth from space.
With NS-34, New Shepard has now flown 75 people above the Kármán line, including five repeat flyers.
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