Crew for New Shepard’s 37th Mission Introduced
Launch Date for the Crew of 6 to be Announced ‘Soon’
The six people flying on the Blue Origin NS-37 mission have been announced. The crew includes Michaela (Michi) Benthaus, Joey Hyde, Hans Koenigsmann, Neal Milch, Adonis Pouroulis, and Jason Stansell.
To date, Blue Origin has flown 86 people (80 individuals) above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. The flight date will be announced soon.
The crewmembers are:
Michaela Benthaus
Michi, an aerospace and mechatronics engineer at the European Space Agency, has dedicated her career to scientific collaboration for the advancement of interplanetary exploration. In 2018, she was involved in a mountain biking accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury impacting her ability to walk; undeterred, she has continued to pursue her passion for access and advocate for greater access to space. Michi flew aboard a Zero-G research flight in 2022 and completed an analog astronaut mission. She continues to pursue sporting activities outside of work, including wheelchair tennis.
Joey Hyde
A physicist and quantitative investor, Joey recently retired from his career at a leading hedge fund. He lives in Florida with his wife and five children. His grandparents ignited his fascination with space when they brought him to watch the 1988 launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis, which sparked a lifelong curiosity in human spaceflight and exploration, leading to him earning a Ph.D. in Astrophysics. Joey sees his flight with Blue Origin as a continuation of his commitment to advancing science and inspiring future generations of explorers.
Hans Koenigsmann
Hans is a German-American aerospace engineer whose career has been dedicated to advancing reusable spacecraft and launch vehicles, most notably as an early team member at SpaceX, where he spent two decades. He is one of the world’s most renowned rocket scientists and remains actively engaged in the aerospace and space exploration community, serving in advisory and board roles across multiple aerospace companies. He is also a licensed pilot who built his own airplane, an avid skier, and the proud father of two daughters. He is excited to share his experience to inspire the next generation of space exploration.
Neal Milch
A global business executive and entrepreneur, Neal launched his career through LaundryLux, a family-owned business, where he seized opportunities to provide the highest quality products to customers. He now serves as the Chair of the Board of Trustees at Jackson Laboratory, a nonprofit biomedical research institute, where he supports genetic research to improve human health. Growing up watching the Gemini and Apollo programs, he adopted the Latin phrase, “In Omnia Paratus,” meaning “Ready for Anything,” to guide his pursuit of science and discovery.
Adonis Pouroulis
As a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and mining engineer, Adonis brings over 30 years of experience in the natural resources and energy sector with a strong focus on critical minerals, metals, and sustainable energy solutions across Africa and beyond. He is the founder and chairman of Pella Resources, co-founder of Energy Revolution Ventures, chairman of Rainbow Rare Earths, and the CEO of Chariot Limited, which are advancing and developing innovative technologies and global opportunities in the energy transition. His career and philanthropic work reflect a consistent commitment to education and the responsible and sustainable development of Earth’s resources, combining technical expertise with a vision for long-term environmental and social impacts. His flight aboard New Shepard represents a lifelong dream to see the world from space.
Jason Stansell
A self-proclaimed space nerd rooted in West Texas, Jason has watched the space industry expand to offer commercial space flight opportunities from his own backyard. With a degree in computer science from Tulane University, he has channeled his enthusiasm for creativity, passion for adventure, and love of science and physics into scuba diving, driving cars, riding motorcycles, flying planes, and studying rocketry. Jason is looking to inspire healthy skepticism and promote science education through his experience. He is also dedicating his flight to his brother, Kevin, who passed away in 2016 to a hard-fought battle with brain cancer.
Michi Benthaus' story is incredible. The combination of mechatronics engineering expertise with lived experience of accessibility challenges could genuinly shape how we design spacecraft interfaces. Most zero-g research focuses on able-bodied astronauts, so having someone who thinks about adaptive systems from day one changes the design conversation enirely.