Dutch teenager,18, will become the youngest astronaut in space today

Dutch teenager,18, will become the youngest astronaut in space today
Dutch teenager,18, will become the youngest astronaut in space today

A Dutch teenager who credits Thunderbirds for sparking his interest in rockets, is set to become the youngest astronaut in space ever today after snagging a spot on Jeff Bezos' New Shepard rocket.

Oliver Daemen, 18, had originally secured a spot on the second New Shepard flight after his millionaire equity boss father came second in an auction.

But the anonymous winner had to drop out due to an undisclosed scheduling conflict, meaning psychics student Oliver was bumped up onto the historic voyage.

It is the first crewed flight of the New Shepard, a rocket ship built by Bezos' company Blue Origin to cater to a future market for space tourism.

'Ready to fly Into Space!,' Oliver wrote in an Instagram post on Monday alongside two pictures of himself in the bright blue Blue Origin jumpsuit he will wear into space, which bears the flag of the Netherlands on the right arm. 

Joining Oliver on the flight will be Bezos himself, his businessman brother Mark Bezos, Mary Wallace 'Wally' Funk - a pioneering female astronaut who is making her maiden voyage into space aged 82 - and two other passengers.

Oliver Daemen, a Dutch teenager who credits Thunderbirds for sparking his interest in rockets, is set to become the youngest astronaut in space ever today after snagging a spot on Jeff Bezos' New Shepard rocket. Pictured: Oliver (left) with his father Joes

Oliver Daemen, a Dutch teenager who credits Thunderbirds for sparking his interest in rockets, is set to become the youngest astronaut in space ever today after snagging a spot on Jeff Bezos' New Shepard rocket. Pictured: Oliver (left) with his father Joes

'Ready to fly Into Space!,' Oliver wrote in an Instagram post on Monday

The bright blue Blue Origin jumpsuit Oliver will wear into space, which bears the flag of the Netherlands on the right arm

'Ready to fly Into Space!,' Oliver wrote in an Instagram post on Monday alongside two pictures of himself in the bright blue Blue Origin jumpsuit he will wear into space, which bears the flag of the Netherlands on the right arm.

Oliver, 18, (left) originally secured a spot on the second New Shepard flight after his millionaire equity boss father came second in an auction. But the anonymous winner had to drop out due to an undisclosed scheduling conflict

Oliver, 18, (left) originally secured a spot on the second New Shepard flight after his millionaire equity boss father came second in an auction. But the anonymous winner had to drop out due to an undisclosed scheduling conflict

'I guess my first memories of space were Thunderbirds (pictured),' Oliver said in a video message after his place on the flight was publicly confirmed

In a video message after his place aboard the flight was publicly confirmed, Oliver, who enjoys snorkeling and wakeboarding in his free time, said he was 'super excited' to have the chance to fulfil a lifelong dream. 

'I think it's the ultimate dream for so many people to go to space. I guess my first memories of space were Thunderbirds. I was a big fan of that, watched every single episode there was - that was like the big thing with rockets and everything,' he said. 

That dream was made possible by his father Joes Daemen, who placed the second place bid in the auction, before the $28 million winning bidder deferred to a later flight. 

It is not known how much Mr Daemen, the founder and CEO of Dutch private equity firm Somerset Capital Partners, bid.

'He was a participant in the auction and had secured a seat on the second flight,' the spokesperson said via email. 'We

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