The first Turkish space tourist leaves on August 3: Why is there a "banana" symbol on the mission?

Blue Origin, the space transportation company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, plans to launch its fifth human spaceflight mission this Sunday in 2025.

The company said in a statement that the flight, codenamed "NS-34," will launch from a private spaceport near the town of Van Horn in Texas on Sunday, August 3.

During the mission, which will last approximately 10 to 12 minutes, passengers will experience weightlessness for a few minutes and have the opportunity to view Earth from the darkness of space.

Flight NS-34 is Blue Origin's 14th crewed mission. The mission, which will also include the first Turkish space tourist, is also attracting attention with the participation of cryptocurrency billionaire Justin Sun. The banana emblem to be used on the mission has already become a source of curiosity.

FIRST TURKISH SPACE TOURIST IN FLIGHT

The most notable passenger on Flight NS-34 globally is cryptocurrency billionaire and art collector Justin Sun. Sun won a $28 million auction for a seat on Blue Origin's first manned flight in 2021, but was unable to fly due to scheduling conflicts. That flight was the historic July 20, 2021, mission that also included Jeff Bezos.

Also on board the flight is businessman and photographer Gökhan Erdem, who will become Türkiye's first space tourist and the third Turk to fly into space.

Others taking part in the flight include Indian real estate investor Arvi Singh Bahal, Puerto Rican journalist and meteorologist Deborah Martorell, British philanthropist Lionel Pitchford and American entrepreneur James (JD) Russell.

THERE ARE UNIQUE CROSSES FOR EVERY PASSENGER

Blue Origin also shared the special badge design for the NS-34 mission. The badge features a symbol of each passenger's life:

Arvi Bahal's symbol is the "world" because of his passion for traveling to all countries and the poles. Deborah Martorell's is the Puerto Rican skyline. Lionel Pitchford wears the Mount Everest symbol for his work in Nepal. JD Russell uses a book symbol to represent the education foundation he founded in memory of his late daughter.

Gökhan Erdem will wear the silhouette of the Bosphorus to symbolize his Turkish identity, while Justin Sun will wear a banana crest to represent his interest in conceptual art.

The sun at the center of the mission's main crest symbolizes a new beginning for the entire team.

WHERE CAN I WATCH THE LAUNCH?

The flight will take place on Sunday, August 3rd at 3:30 PM Turkish time. Blue Origin will begin a livestream 30 minutes before launch.

Although the company does not generally share ticket prices with the public, the record $28 million bid paid by Justin Sun is one of the rare examples of this.

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TRIP?

According to the company's statement, New Shepard serves two main purposes with these missions.

The first is to conduct activities such as lunar technology experiments and vehicle system testing conducted during the NS-29 mission. These are believed to provide important data for scientific research.

The second goal is to capitalize on the space tourism market, where there's continuing strong interest in the "deep experience" of suborbital spaceflights. The company emphasizes that tickets are certainly not cheap, and it's seeking funding from there.