ALMATY – The first-ever space journey by a Kazakh woman was marked by Danna Karagussova, who made history by joining the crew of Blue Origin’s New Shepard on its 15th human flight on Oct. 8.
NS-36 crew (L to R): Jeff Elgin, Aaron Newman, Danna Karagussova, Vitalii Ostrovsky, Will Lewis, Clint Kelly IIIю Photo credit: Blue Origin
The suborbital mission, launched from Launch Site One in West Texas, lasted 11 minutes and crossed the internationally recognized boundary of space, the Kármán line, at an altitude of over 100 kilometers, according to Blue Origin’s press service.
The NS-36 mission carried six passengers – Jeff Elgin, Danna Karagussova, Dr. Clint Kelly III, Will Lewis, Aaron Newman, and Vitaly Ostrovsky. To date, Blue Origin has flown 75 people into space as part of its growing commercial astronaut program.
Ahead of her flight, Karagussova shared her thoughts about the flight, emphasizing the uniqueness of the moment.
“With my crew, we share not just space, but a path. There are no coincidences here. Each of us came through our own challenges, doubts, trials, and leaps of faith. And maybe that’s why this connection feels so real, so deep, and so true,” she wrote on her Instagram page.
Before the launch, Blue Origin unveiled the official NS-36 mission patch, which incorporates symbols reflecting the crew’s journeys. Among them are the mountains of Kazakhstan, representing Karagussova’s heritage.
While Kazakhstan has long been associated with space exploration through the Baikonur cosmodrome, Karagussova’s flight adds a new milestone to the country’s legacy and international collaboration.
