Jeff Bezos wonders how going to space is 'going to change me'
Jeff Bezos is getting ready to blast off.
The Amazon founder on Tuesday will fly to space on his company Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket, and Bezos and his fellow passengers gave a series of interviews Monday ahead of the trip.
"I don't know what it's going to mean for me," Bezos told Good Morning America. "Everybody who's been to space says it changes them in some way, and I'm just really excited to figure out how it's going to change me."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
On CBS This Morning, Bezos said he's "excited" and "curious," but "not really nervous" about the trip, something host Gayle King found hard to believe, asking "How is that possible, Jeff?" But Bezos said the team feels "really good" about the trip, which according to CNN will last about 11 minutes. The Amazon founder will be joined by his brother, Mark Bezos, as well as 18-year-old Oliver Daemen and 82-year-old Wally Funk, who according to Blue Origin will be the "youngest and oldest astronauts to travel to space."
The flight will come after billionaire Richard Branson's recent spaceflight, and in a CNN interview, Bezos was asked to respond to critics who are slamming these trips as "joyrides for the wealthy" and want billionaires to focus on solving problems on Earth.
"They're largely right," Bezos responded. "We have to do both. We have lots of problems in the here and now on Earth, and we need to work on those, and we need to look to the future."
Bezos' trip also comes just weeks after he officially stepped down as Amazon CEO, but he told CNN the flight wasn't the reason for that timing.
"I could have done this flight as CEO of Amazon and it would have been fine," he told CNN. "We really believe this flight is safe." Bezos' flight is set for Tuesday morning.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
The best homes of the year
Feature Featuring a grand turret entrance in New York and built-in glass elevator in Arizona
By The Week Staff Published
-
Nordstrom family, investor to take retail chain private
Speed Read The business will be acquired by members of the family and El Puerto de Liverpool, a Mexican real estate company
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden commutes most federal death sentences
Speed Read The president downgraded the punishment of 37 of 40 prisoners on death row to life in prison without parole
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battle
Speed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rally
Speed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Enron mystery: 'sick joke' or serious revival?
Speed Read 23 years after its bankruptcy filing, the Texas energy firm has announced its resurrection
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraud
Speed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strike
Speed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US economy still strong in final preelection report
Speed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strike
Speed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published