New Zealand Entrepreneur Mark Rocket Embarks on Historic Space Flight with Blue Origin.

Mark Rocket, a Christchurch aerospace entrepreneur, became the first Kiwi in space on Blue Origin's NS-32 mission. The 11-minute sub-orbital flight reached an altitude of 105km, just past the Kármán line, and experienced zero gravity. Rocket, who legally changed his surname to reflect his passion for space, wants to inspire more Kiwis to get involved in New Zealand's aerospace sector.

Christchurch aerospace entrepreneur Mark Rocket made history on May 31, 2025, by becoming the first Kiwi to travel to space. The 11-minute sub-orbital flight, conducted by Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket, reached an altitude of 105 km, just past the Kármán line, and provided Rocket with an experience of zero gravity [2]. This mission, designated as NS-32, was part of Blue Origin's New Shepard space tourism program.

Mark Rocket, who legally changed his surname to reflect his passion for space, expressed his enthusiasm for the experience in a post-flight statement. "Within three minutes, New Shepard accelerated to over 3400 kilometres per hour. It was such a wonderfully intense experience," he said. The flight offered breathtaking views of the Earth and space, allowing Rocket to unbuckle and float in zero gravity [2].

The NS-32 mission carried six passengers, including K-12 STEM teacher Aymette Medina Jorge, radiologist Dr. Gretchen Green, former Panamanian ambassador Jaime Alemán, businessman Jesse Williams, aerospace executive Mark Rocket, and entrepreneur Paul Jeris. This mission marked the 12th human flight and the 32nd overall flight for the New Shepard program [1].

The mission patch incorporated symbols representing the crew's backgrounds, with a kea parrot representing Mark Rocket's New Zealand heritage [3]. The NS-32 mission has garnered attention for its diverse crew, including the first New Zealander and the first Panamanian to fly with Blue Origin [7]. The inclusion of STEM educator Aymette Medina Jorge has been highlighted as a positive step for inspiring underrepresented communities in science [3].

Mark Rocket's flight is significant not only for his personal achievement but also for his desire to inspire more Kiwis to get involved in New Zealand's aerospace sector. His experience and the symbolic representation of New Zealand in the mission patch serve as a nod to the country's growing interest in space exploration [3].

References:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Origin_NS-32
[2] https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/06/01/aerospace-entrepreneur-mark-rocket-makes-history-as-first-kiwi-in-space/
[3] https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/05/28/nod-to-nz-on-blue-origin-rocket-taking-kiwi-to-space/