A rocket built by Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin carried its fifth group of passengers to the edge of space, including the first-ever Mexican-born woman.
The 60-foot-tall suborbital rocket took off from Blue Origin's facilities in West Texas at 9:26am ET, vaulting a group of six people to more than 62 miles above the Earth's surface - which is widely deemed to make the boundary of outer space - and giving them a few minutes of weightlessness before parachuting to landing.
She moved to the Untied States with her family at the age of seven, and she recalls being overwhelmed in a new place where she didn't speak the language, and a teacher warned her she might have to be held back. "I had sometimes up to four at the same time, just to try to get through college because it was really important for me," she said.
"We were looking for some like people who were leaders in their communities, who have a sphere of influence; people who are doing really great work in the world already, and people who are passionate about whatever that is," Rachel Lyons, the nonprofit's executive director, told CNN Business.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Blue Origin launch space tourists to the edge of space today | Digital TrendsBlueOrigin, the private launch company owned by Amazon's Jeff Bezos, will shortly be launching six space tourists on a suborbital trip to the edge of space.
Read more »
Watch Blue Origin launch 6 space tourists on a New Shepard rocket early SaturdayThe NS-21 mission is scheduled to lift off at 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT).
Read more »
Blue Origin launches 6 people on company's 5th space tourism flightNS-21 notched several milestones, including sending a Mexican-born woman to space for the first time.
Read more »
Blue Origin launches six thrill seekers to the edge of spaceJeff Bezos' Blue Origin has now launched 25 civilians to space in five for-profit sub-orbital missions.
Read more »
Bezos's Blue Origin makes 5th crewed flight into spaceJeff Bezos's company Blue Origin flew six tourists into space for a 10-minute ride Saturday, successfully carrying out its fifth crewed mission.
Read more »
Bezos' Blue Origin completes fifth crewed flight launchJeff Bezos' space tourism venture Blue Origin completed its fifth crewed launch on Saturday after a New Shepard rocket's back-up system that had not met expectations delayed the voyage last month.
Read more »