Mário Ferreira first Portuguese in space
Portugal’s boating and media tycoon Mário Ferreira will be the first Portuguese to visit space.
The owner of Pluris Investments, through which he holds a share in media company Media Capital (TVI) and cruise boat company Douro Azul, will take part in the 22nd flight in Blue Origin’s New Shepard capsule.
The announcement was made on Friday by the company which is owned by Jeff Bezos without giving a specific date which will be “announced shortly”.
Other VIPs who will be on the space flight include British mountain climber Vanessa O’Brien, Egyptian engineer Sara Sabry, the co-founder of Youtube Coby Cotton, Steve Young, CEO of Young’s Communications LLC, and Clint Kelly III, specialist in air technology.
The Portuguese entrepreneur had already shown his desire to travel to space and had bought a ticket to fly in Virgin Galactic.
This mission will be the sixth human flight in the New Shephard programme and the third flight this year.