Jeff Bezos Says He's Flying Into Space With His Brother on July 20 The two plan to be on the first human flight of Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft.

This story originally appeared on Business Insider

picture alliance | Getty Images

Jeff Bezos on Monday announced that he and his brother, Mark Bezos, would be flying into space next month.

"Ever since I was five years old, I've dreamed of traveling to space," Bezos posted on Instagram. "On July 20th, I will take that journey with my brother."

The brothers plan to fly on the first human flight of the New Shepard spacecraft, which is made by Jeff Bezos' space-exploration company, Blue Origin.

"I want to go on this flight because it's a thing I wanted to do all my life. It's an adventure — it's a big deal for me," Bezos said in a video posted to Instagram.

Related: Jeff Bezos Announces the Date of His Departure as Amazon CEO

"I invited my brother to come on this first flight because we're closest friends," he added.

"I wasn't even expecting him to say that he was going to be on the first flight, and then when he asked me to go along I was just awe-struck," Mark Bezos said in the same video.

Blue Origin is auctioning a seat on the same flight. The bidding for one of six seats on Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft has reached $2.8 million with nearly 6,000 participants from 143 countries, the company told Insider in a statement.

Related: Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity Completes Human Spaceflight

Bidding is live on Blue Origin's website and is scheduled to finish with a live online auction on Saturday.

The planned 11-minute trip is the company's first scheduled space-tourism flight, set to blast the crew 62 miles above the Earth's surface.

A maximum of six people can fit into the capsule, which sits on top of the rocket booster. Once New Shepard reaches a high altitude, the capsule is designed to break away from the booster, reenter the atmosphere, and float back down to Earth with the help of parachutes.

Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000, and he said in a 2018 interview that it was his "most important work."

Bezos is set to step down as Amazon CEO on July 5. When he announced in February that he would be leaving that role, he said Blue Origin was one of the projects to which he wanted to devote more of his attention.

Related: You Can Now Take A Ride In Jeff Bezos' Rocket Ship for $2.8 Million

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Culture

Why Hustle Culture Is the Most Dangerous Lie Founders Still Believe

Research shows productivity drastically declines after working 44 hours per week or more. So why is hustle culture still pushed in entrepreneur circles? It's time to forget that mentality and lead like a real hustler.

Business News

Here's What Companies and Services Are Open and Closed on Juneteenth 2025

Juneteenth was designated as a federal holiday in the U.S. in 2021.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Health & Wellness

Business Travel Can Wreck You—Here's What To Do About It

A human performance expert breaks down what's really going on in your body when you suffer from jet lag, and how to stay sharp on the road.

Growing a Business

There's a Hidden Cost of Overnight Growth — Here's What It Is and Why Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Growth that lasts isn't about the moment or the initial hype. It's about what happens in the months and years that follow.

Marketing

Why This Sports Festival Might Be the Most Ambitious Live Event in America

Fanatics Fest is redefining live sports events by blending culture, entertainment and fan experiences into an immersive festival unlike anything the sports world has seen.