Buttigieg says he’d go on space flight ‘in a heartbeat’

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he would go to space “in a heartbeat” following Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s launch to the edge of space Tuesday. 

“I would go up in a heartbeat. I think it’s such exciting stuff,” Buttigieg said at Economic Club of Washington D.C., The Associated Press reported.

“I don’t think the airfare or spacefare, whatever you would call it, is going to be in my budget anytime soon,” he added. “I’m certainly watching that and some of the others with great interest.” 

Bezos’s launch comes after Virgin Galactic founder Richard Brandon took a space flight earlier this month. Since then, there have been more than 600 reservations, at $250,000 each, to be on a future trip with the company.

Bezos launched into space aboard the New Shepard capsule that was developed by his spaceflight company, Blue Origin. He lifted off from a site in the west Texas desert, southeast of El Paso.

Buttigieg said in his remarks Tuesday there are challenges ahead for safety for space tourists as the phenomenon grows.

“I think there will be a lot more where this came from,” he said. “Everybody understands it will be a while before we’re at the level of commercial air travel where you should have 100% expectation of safety onboard. But whatever risks those early travelers decide they’re going to take on, we have got to make sure there is no risk to people on the ground and in the airspace.”

“It’s very exciting, but one of many things across the 2020s we’re going to grow into, because we weren’t just designed for a lot of private space travel,” Buttigieg added.