A teenager is the first paying customer on Bezos-backed space ship

The July 20 spaceflight will have both the youngest and oldest astronauts to travel to space.
Jeff Bezos.
By Nicholas Sherman

A teenager is set to become the first paying customer to fly on Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' spaceship.

Blue Origin, the commercial spaceflight and space tourism company founded by Amazon creator Jeff Bezos, announced Wednesday that 18-year-old Oliver Daemen would fly aboard the company’s New Shepard Mission.

Daemon will fly alongside Bezos, Mark Bezos, and passenger Wally Funk for the first flight on July 20. Daemon was picked after the original winner of Blue Origin’s charity auction backed out. The winner, who remains anonymous, pledged $28 million in order to get the spot.

"We thank the auction winner for their generous support of Club for the Future and are honored to welcome Oliver to fly with us on New Shepard," Bob Smith, CEO of Blue Origin. said in the statement Wednesday. "This marks the beginning of commercial operations for New Shepard, and Oliver represents a new generation of people who will help us build a road to space."

Daemon and Funk represent the youngest and oldest astronauts to travel to space, with Daemon being 18 and Funk being 82.