WASHINGTON, DC – Massachusetts-based Indian American Arvinder “Arvi” Singh Bahal has always had his eyes on the horizon – the real estate investor has built a life defined by adventure. From visiting every country on earth to skydiving over the Pyramids of Giza and Mount Everest, Bahal’s relentless pursuit of the extraordinary has taken him to the most remote and extreme corners of the globe. Now, he’s heading somewhere where few have ventured—space.On July 21, Blue Origin announced the six-member crew for its upcoming NS-34 mission aboard the New Shepard suborbital rocket. Bahal, whose Instagram bio simply reads “world traveler,” will soon add astronaut to his list.
The mission, whose launch date is yet to be announced, will mark the 14th human flight for the New Shepard program and the 34th overall. Blue Origin has already sent 70 individuals past the Kármán line—the internationally recognised boundary of space. Bahal, a licensed pilot who also flies helicopters, follows in the footsteps of Gopichand Thotakura, who became the first Indian space tourist aboard Blue Origin’s NS-25 mission.Born in Agra, he is now a naturalized U.S. citizen. He was initially selected for India’s National Defense Academy but was medically discharged after an injury when he fell off a horse playing pole. A graduate of the University of Pune, he has a diverse professional history, including working on a tea plantation, in electrical manufacturing, hotel management, and sportswear importing before transitioning to real estate.Indian cuisine cooking supplies
Joining Bahal on the flight are five others from around the world: Gökhan Erdem, a Turkish businessman and board member of Erdem Holding, is a space enthusiast and photographer with dreams of reaching the International Space Station.Deborah Martorell, an Emmy-winning meteorologist and science journalist from Puerto Rico, is known for her environmental and space coverage.Lionel Pitchford, a British teacher and humanitarian who lives in Spain, founded a nonprofit in Nepal after losing family members in a plane crash.J.D. Russell, an American entrepreneur and aerospace investor, is flying for a second time after previously joining the NS-28 mission. Justin Sun, a crypto entrepreneur and diplomat from Grenada, gained prominence as the winning bidder for the first New Shepard seat in 2021, contributing $28 million to space-focused charities.