Dude Perfect co-founder Coby Cotton has been announced as one of the six crew members who will fly on Blue Origin’s next mission to space.
Two other passengers will also include the first Portuguese and Egyptian citizens to experience space travel.
“This mission will be the sixth human flight for the New Shepard program, the third flight this year, and the 22nd in its history. The flight date will be announced soon,” Blue Origin announced on Friday.
#NewShepard #NS22 will include @DudePerfect’s @CobyCotton, Mário Ferreira, @VOBOnline, Clint Kelly III, Sara Sabry, and Steve Young. Read more 🚀: https://t.co/VVVhGmqJo9 pic.twitter.com/Pd5yUQYb0H
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) July 22, 2022
The five additional members of the team include Portuguese entrepreneur Mário Ferreira, British-American mountaineer Vanessa O’Brien, technology leader Clint Kelly III, Egyptian engineer Sara Sabry, and telecommunications executive Steve Young.
Cotton is one of the five co-founders of the popular Dude Perfect YouTube channel, noted as the most-subscribed sports channel on the platform with more than 57 million followers. The trick-shot company was founded in 2009 and has led to a growing lineup of videos, event appearances, and merchandise.
Cotton’s trip with Blue Origin is sponsored by MoonDAO, an organization focused on decentralizing access to space exploration. MoonDAO’s members voted for Cotton to represent the group as its first sponsored space traveler.
“We hope that @DudePerfect co-founder @CobyCotton will be a huge inspiration to the next generation,” MoonDAO stated on Twitter. “MoonDAO voted with $MOONEY to make this happen, one small step for DAO, one huge leap for DAO-kind.”
We hope that @DudePerfect co-founder @CobyCotton will be a huge inspiration to the next generation 🧑🚀🚀
MoonDAO voted with $MOONEY to make this happen, one small step for DAO, one huge leap for DAO-kind 🪐 pic.twitter.com/j3h1GWfS4T
— MoonDAO (🌜,🌛) (@OfficialMoonDAO) July 23, 2022
The resumes of the other passengers on Blue Origin’s upcoming flight also include unique backgrounds.
O’Brien will become the first woman to complete the Explorers’ Extreme Trifecta, a Guinness World Record that consists of reaching the world’s extremes on land, sea, and air. She has already reached the highest peak of Mt. Everest and has traveled to the Challenger Deep, the lowest reachable point in the ocean.
Ferreira will serve as Portugal’s first citizen to reach space. He leads Pluris Investments Group and raced in Dakar, the world’s most difficult car rally.
Kelly has long been a leader in the field of technology. He has served with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) where he was involved in the cutting edge of driverless car innovations.
Sabry will become Egypt’s first person and the nation’s first woman in space. She is the founder of Deep Space Initiative, an organization that seeks to increase accessibility for space research. Her flight is sponsored by Space for Humanity, a non-profit focused on expanded space access.
Young is the former CEO of Young’s Communications, the largest telecommunications contractor in Florida. He is also a committee member of the Space Coast Coastal Conservation Group.
The announcement of the new flight came just over one year since Blue Origin made its first human flight to space.
One year ago today, we took the first step in advancing our vision of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. Thank you to the 25 pioneers who’ve flown on New Shepard since our first human flight. This is only the beginning. #FortheBenefitofEarth pic.twitter.com/64JylnFxrR
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) July 20, 2022
“One year ago today, we took the first step in advancing our vision of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth,” Blue Origin tweeted to mark the anniversary last week. “Thank you to the 25 pioneers who’ve flown on New Shepard since our first human flight. This is only the beginning.”
Blue Origin was started in 2000 by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The company’s past space passengers have included both experts and celebrities, such as comedian Pete Davidson and actor William Shatner.