Vitaliy Ostrovsky: A Ukrainian Traveler in Space
On October 8, 2025, Ukrainian investor and traveler Vitaliy Ostrovsky made history as one of the few Ukrainians to venture beyond Earth's atmosphere.
He participated in a suborbital tourist flight with Blue Origin, founded by American billionaire Jeff Bezos. The mission, called NS-36, marked the fifteenth commercial launch of the New Shepard rocket, designed for short excursions into space.
The cost for tourists to fly on New Shepard is estimated at $500,000.
The rocket launched from the Corn Ranch launch site near Van Horn, Texas at 09:41 Eastern Time (16:41 Kyiv time). The capsule with a crew of six ascended to over 100 km, crossing the Kármán line, which is considered the edge of space.
After a few minutes in weightlessness, the capsule successfully returned to Earth using a parachute system. The flight lasted about 11 minutes, providing participants the chance to see the curvature of the planet, experience weightlessness, and undergo a unique adventure available to only a few.
In addition to Vitaliy Ostrovsky, the NS-36 crew included:
- Danna Karagusova — a media entrepreneur from Kazakhstan, who became the first Kazakh woman in space
- Jeff Elgin — an American businessman in franchising
- Clint Kelly III — an engineer and researcher
- Aaron Newman — an entrepreneur and philanthropist
- One participant who wished to remain anonymous
Who is Vitaliy Ostrovsky
Vitaliy Ostrovsky is a Ukrainian entrepreneur, investor, and traveler known for his involvement in international educational and technological projects. Before his space flight, he had visited over 100 countries and supported various initiatives related to promoting science and innovation in Ukraine.
