Thousands sign petition to stop Jeff Bezos from returning to Earth after space trip | World News - Hindustan Times
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Thousands sign petition to stop Jeff Bezos from returning to Earth after space trip

By | Edited by Kunal Gaurav, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Jun 22, 2021 07:17 PM IST

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos along with his brother, Mark, and another person, presumably an ultra-wealthy space aficionado who won the bid for the third berth on the spaceship for a whopping $28million, will fly to space on July 20.

Over 75,000 people have signed a petition to stop Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos from returning to Earth after he flies to space next month on a reusable rocket made by his space company Blue Origin. Jeff Bezos along with his brother, Mark, and another person, presumably an ultra-wealthy space aficionado who won the bid for the third berth on the spaceship for a whopping $28million, will fly to space on July 20.

Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos in the New Shepard rocket booster at the 33rd Space Symposium in Colorado, US.(Reuters)
Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos in the New Shepard rocket booster at the 33rd Space Symposium in Colorado, US.(Reuters)

The launch of the New Shepard booster, a launch vehicle named after Alan Shepard who made history by becoming the first American to fly to space, will be a landmark moment for US firms striving toward a new era of private commercial space travel. While Blue Origin has not divulged its pricing strategy for future trips, a Reuters report in 2018 suggested that the space company was planning to charge passengers at least $200,000 for the ride, based on a market study and other considerations.

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But the announcement also prompted a user called “Ric G.” to start a petition titled ‘Do not allow Jeff Bezos to return to Earth’ on change.org, a popular US-based petition website. “Billionaire's should not exist...on earth, or in space, but should they decide the latter they should stay there,” reads the opening statement. The petition, which was started two weeks ago, has received over 75,000 signatures and has become one of the top-signed petitions on the website.

Also Read | Rocket trip to space with Jeff Bezos sells at auction for $28 million

Those signing the petition have their own reasons to not allow Bezos back on Earth. “Being let back into earth is a privilege— not a right. If he wants back in he’s gotta work for it,” wrote a user. “Go back whence you came, and do not return unless you're willing to PAY YOUR GODDAMN TAXES!!!” wrote another user.

Earlier in June, Bezos, in an Instagram post, announced that he will travel to space along with his brother, a dream he had since was five years old. “To see the Earth from space, it changes you. It changes your relationship with this planet, with humanity. It's one Earth. I want to go on this flight because it's a thing I've wanted to do all my life. It's an adventure, it's a big deal for me,” said Bezos in the video.

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